The South Essex Evening Echo was invited to take a unique glimpse into the secret world of the Ministry of Defence's largest weapons testing complex.

Spanning ten miles from Shoebury to Foulness Island, the New Ranges - now run by privatised company QinetiQ - has seen Concorde engines tested, lasers fired at tanks and old ammunition destroyed. And that's only as much as the public has been told.

Last year, a Government letter leaked to the Echo revealed controversial depleted uranium had been tested on the site.

But Southend Echo reporter James Howell was invited by the MoD for a tour of the compound - with the aim of dispelling some of the myths.

James, (24), who made the trip with an Echo photographer, said: "There has always been an air of mystery surrounding the MoD site.

"Having lived just minutes from the barbed wire fences all my life, I jumped at the chance to get an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at just what goes on."

He added: "Although I had the impression that I perhaps wasn't being shown everything, it was certainly an eye-opener to realise that so much top-secret, vital Government work was being performed on my doorstep."

The MoD has been trying to forge better links with residents who make around 500 complaints each year about noise from the site.

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