Tyne Tees Army News

Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham has told ITV Tyne Tees that he wants the age of recruitment in the British Army to rise to 18, arguing that 16 and 17 year-olds cannot make a mature choice about serving in the force.

He said: "It's actually very unusual for a country to recruit at the age of 16. We're only one of twenty countries in the entire world that does still recruit at that age.

"They are children. We think about child soldiers in Africa and the Far East, but these are child soldiers in our country."

• Politics
• Army
• Stockton

More than 100 soldiers return to their barracks in North Yorkshire later after a six-month tour of Afghanistan. The troops from 4th Mechanized Brigade are due to arrive at Catterick Garrison this evening.

• UK
• Army
• Catterick Garrison

Crowds gathered at a memorial football match to remember two of the region's soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Guardsman Michael Sweeney from Blyth was 19 when he was killed on patrol in 2010. Sergeant John Amer, from Sunderland, died at the age of 30 in an explosion.

The event is organised by their families and it is in its third year. The Coldstream Guards travelled to Northumberland from Windsor to support them.

• UK
• Army
• Northumberland

Troops who have just returned from Afghanistan have been attending a thanksgiving service at York Minster.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu and the Forces Minister Andrew Robathan MP joined hundreds of armed forces personnel who have recently returned home from service.

The 4th Mechanised Brigade lost nine soldiers during their six month tour of Helmand Province.

• UK
• York Minster
• Army

25 million pound plans to redevelop the town centre for soldiers and their families at Catterick Garrison are going on display for the first time.

The design includes a new cinema, shops and restaurants on the site of an old sports ground at the army base in North Yorkshire.

The project will generate 700 jobs.

• UK
• Army
• Catterick Garrison

Unemployed young people on Teesside have been working with Territorial Army engineers to learn how to design and build buggies.

The nine week course in Middlesbrough is the first of its kind in the region and aims to boost skills.

The programme also includes visits to local engineering firms and tuition from an education instructor. Students who complete the course receive a Certificate of Achievement.

• UK
• Middlesbrough
• army

Speaking to ITV News, the Defence Secretary Philip Hammond did not rule out further cuts to the defence budget. But he said the Government would aim to limit any reductions.

It follows his suggestion at the weekend that the government may look to cuts in the welfare budget instead.

• UK
• Army
• Ministry of Defence

Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy says the historic bond between the army battalions and the towns where they have been stationed will be broken by the closure of four barracks. Mr Murphy claimed the Government had only succeeded in creating a great deal of cynicism in the Armed Forces.

• UK
• Army
• Ministry of Defence

During his Army career, Sergeant Ben Peden has spent 7 years in Germany. But he said the time was right for troops to head back to Britain.

• UK
• Army
• Ministry of Defence

• Around 11,000 British troops based in Germany will return home by 2016
• Nearly £2 billion will be invested in Army housing and bases
• The remaining 4,500 troops will be back in the UK by 2019, a year earlier than planned

• Around £1 billion of the funding being announced today will be go towards 1,900 new houses for service families and accommodation for 7,800 single soldiers
• Another £800 million will be spent on infrastructure and refurbishment of bases

• UK
• Army
• Ministry of Defence