EIGHT members of the Women's Land Army who were stationed at Alcester in 1940 have been invited to take part in a Remembrance Day parade in London following recognition that the WLA was influential during the war.

Joyce Byers, Vera Wall, Gladys Tarver, Joan Hunt, Doris Wilkes, Sally Holder, Frances Hooper and Sylvia Sreeves will take part in the parade for the first time on Sunday, November 12, after a 37-year national campaign to achieve recognition for their efforts.

The women, who came from towns and cities, including Birmingham and Coventry, were stationed in a hostel at High Street, which has since become Victoria Wine and the adjoining greengrocer's.

They were employed by farmers and worked the land, before the WLA finally disbanded in 1950.

Eight of the members stationed in Alcester married and settled in the town.

Mrs Byers said: "It's the first time the WLA has been recognised in helping in the war and has taken years to achieve recognition.

"It has been a hard fight but our struggle has come to fruition and we will be parading past the cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday."

Chairman Jean Procter, who was awarded an MBE two years ago for her work in setting up the British Women's Land Army Society in 1964, said there would be 100 WLA members from all over the country parading.

She said: "Despite it being stated on the form when we signed up that the WLA was the fourth line of defence and of equal importance to His Majesty the King, we were told we were civilians.

"We are in our 70s and 80s now and have had to wait until it is almost too late, but at last we will be able to pay homage to our colleagues as much as anyone else, which is what we wanted. We will be indescribably proud."

Mrs Procter, who lives in Cheshire, added: "It didn't disband until 1950 because the troops did not come back immediately after the war.

"Some did not come back at all."