Surrey County Council has been recognised for its support for the armed forces.

It is one of the first councils nationally to receive a coverted Gold Award from the Ministry of Defence.

The award is part of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which rewards employers who actively support and promote the interests of former service personnel, members of the reserve forces as well as their families.

Across the county, there are more than 6,000 serving military personnel, more than 250 active reservists, 2,450 cadets and tens of thousands of veterans.