Suffolk's airborne sappers caught on camera as they train to guard royal palaces, including Buckingham Palace

For six weeks, airborne sappers based in Suffolk are set to stand guard over key royal sites – and they have been drilling at the Rock Barracks in Woodbridge to prepare.

23 Parachute Engineer Regiment will soon take up positions at a number of palaces, including Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Windsor Castle.

Their training is being supervised by experts from the Household Division.

Next week, the 110-strong troop will relocate to London for further instruction.

An 18-year-old Sapper, Tyler Alway – originally from Kesgrave – said: "This regiment is very focused on its operational role.

"After arriving last summer, I was training for P Company and on exercise to learn the unit’s role and my place in that.

"To come back after Christmas to train for ceremonial duties has been both a change and a challenge."

The 21 Parachute Engineer Regiment's normal role is in providing close-combat support to the 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team.

Major Peter Dobinson, from the regiment, said: “It is a real honour for the Regiment to perform Public Duties in the year that we celebrate our twentieth anniversary.

"Everyone is really motivated to put on our best show, but it has been a steep learning curve to get our ceremonial drill up to the incredibly high standard that is expected.

"We’ve had long days out on the parade square practicing our drill, with boots and buttons to polish in the evening."