Huge crowds gathered today in Merthyr Tydfil to march for an independent Wales.

The third march organised by independence campaign group All Under One Banner (AUOB) Cymru brought thousands to the town.

Organisers confirmed after the rally that more than 5,000 people turned up for the event.

Previous marches in Cardiff and Caernarfon in May and July are thought to have attracted 3,000 and 10,000 participants respectively, according to organisers.

Demonstrators gathered at Penderyn Square on Saturday morning, before setting off on a 1.2 mile march around the town.

Speakers at the event were former international footballer Neville Southall, and sports commentator and former Wales rugby international Eddie Butler, poet and playwright Patrick Jones, and singers Kizzy and Eädyth Crawford.

Southall told the crowd: " “This is the greatest country in the world, but it’s no good having a dragon if the dragon cannot roar."

"And at the moment we cannot roar because we don’t have any money. “We need to build a country that looks after the lowest of the low. We need to take everybody and treat them the same.

"There should be no class system in Wales. Everyone should be the same.”

Organiser of the Merthyr march, Phyl Griffiths, who is from the Troedyrhiw area of the town said that he was delighted with the way the march and rally went.

"It was wonderful," said the chair of Yes Merthyr. "It felt amazing to be asked to host the third national march for independence. The feeling from Yes Cymru and the All Under One Banner, who organise these marches, is that the valleys are absolutely crucial to the discussion of an independent Wales.

"We had marchers from Rhondda, Cynon and the Gwent Valleys and the Caerphilly area. And I spoke to one man at the march who was going to set up a branch in Blackwood."

AUOB Cymru spokesperson Llywelyn ap Gwilym said: "The marches in Cardiff and Caernarfon have been excellent.

"They’ve drawn in large numbers of people, have created a buzz on social media and on TV and in print, and have really helped further the cause of independence for our country.

"With the anti-democratic mess that is currently happening in Westminster, it is more important than ever for Wales to make its voice heard, and for the people of Wales to realise that there is a viable alternative: independence."