MORE than 400 people attended a civic service at Newport Cathedral yesterday to celebrate several events.

The service was held to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Mayor of Newport’s civic service and Armed Forces Day, which takes place today.

Dignitaries from all over Gwent attended the service with representatives from the armed forces along with mayors, Assembly members and other political figures.

Each representative from the armed forces read at the service with Commanding Officer Lt Commander Marcus Hember of HMS Severn for the Royal Navy, Commanding Officer of 104 Regt Lt Col Philip Shepheard-Walwyn for the Army and Senior Medical Officer Squadron Leader Shardlow Drew for the RAF.

Phil Taylor, representing the Armed Forces veterans, also read at the service.

Political figures such as Rosemary Butler AM and Jessica Morden MP along with representatives from Monmouthshire, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent councils and a representative from Cardiff council also attended.

The choir of Newport Cathedral sang and Greater Gwent Youth Brass Ensemble also played the Royal Diamond Jubilee Fanfare among other pieces of music.

The Mayor of the City of Newport, Cllr John Guy, who has been mayor for just over three weeks, also read at the service.

He said: “I am honoured to represent the city of Newport and its 160,000 people and I shall do everything I can to support them.”

After the service the dignitaries marched from the cathedral to Newport Civic Centre.