More regional press journalists will travel to the Gulf as part of the Regional Press Corps, a facility organised by The Newspaper Society.

The trips are being organised for the run-up to Christmas, to give the UK regional press the chance to report on the progress being made by British troops serving in post-war Iraq.

The plans follow a Ministry of Defence evaluation of its media operations during the war with Iraq.

The MoD has decided to work more closely with the regional press and the pre-Christmas trips are a direct result of its new approach.

The Regional Press Corps was established in 1983. There are currently 18 members, each with their nominated correspondent.

Material they gather would go to all 18 members of the Regional Press Corps, and be available to all other regional newspapers at reasonable rates.

The newspapers that could be involved are the Birmingham Evening Mail, Eastern Daily Press, Wolverhampton Express & Star, Ipswich Evening Star, Manchester Evening News, Portsmouth News, Western Daily Press, Bournemouth Daily Echo, Brighton Evening Argus, Bristol Evening Post, Colchester Evening Gazette, Derby Evening Telegraph, Liverpool Echo, Newcastle Evening Chronicle, Northern Echo, Shields Gazette, Southern Daily Echo and Yorkshire Evening Post.

Editors have to confirm that their journalist is physically fit, able to endure difficult and dangerous environments, and able to travel by air and sea.

The newspapers involved would have to pay half the flight costs, as well as their staff expenses.

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