TROOPS gave shoppers the chance to get their hands on an array of Army kit, gadgets and vehicles at a special family fun day.

Soldiers from the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Army Medical Corps, the Royal Anglican Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps and the Military Provost Service all turned out at Colchester's Lion Walk Shopping Centre and Red Lion Yard.

Shoppers were given the chance to face their fears and scale a climbing wall, try on official uniforms and get up close and personal with military-grade weaponry, although thankfully all of the ammo had been removed.

Passersby were able to get a feel for the size and weight of the equipment that the Army carries around with them on an expedition or

parachuting out of a plane.

One excited visitor said: "I wasn’t even able to stand up straight wearing all their kit and that was with their help taking some of the weight.

"It’s amazing to think that the Parachute Regiment are trained to run with and jump out of planes wearing all this.”

“One soldier explained that often their jumps are completed under the cover of darkness so the equipment is created so that some of it will hit the ground before the soldier does giving him or her the cue to deploy their parachute.

"It’s an exact science when you’re jumping from such a low height especially when it could be pitch black too."

Youngsters ended up racing the soldiers up and down the climbing wall, while smaller children were treated to balloons and lollipops on their arrival while a face painter made sure everyone looked their best.

Money from the event for Colchester Hospital Children’s Ward and Great Ormond Street Hospital as part of the One Great Day initiative, the nationwide fundraising drive for children’ event for shopping centres which is supported by Lion Walk and Red Lion Yard.