The Lancashire Evening Telegraph has received an "extraordinary" response to its bid to save the county's only remaining army regiment after almost 600 readers backed the paper's initiative in just three days.

The paper is campaigning to save the Queen's Lancashire Regiment which is under threat after defence secretary Geoff Hoon announced 20,000 armed forces jobs are to be axed.

Editor Kevin Young said: "We started the campaign on Thursday and in the three posts since then we have had about 200 coupons each day.

"It's an extraordinary response. A lot of people are sending in supplementary letters with the coupons. It caught us cold really as we thought it was just enough for people to fill in a coupon and put it in an envelope."

Lancashire has had its own exclusive regiment since 1689 but the reforms which are being made to the armed forces could see it merged with regiments from other counties.

Kevin said: "The Queen's Lancashire Regiment has over 300 years of glorious history.

"Ideally we would like to see the QLR remain intact but at the very least any new merged regiment should carry the Lancashire name and should not incorporate the names of other counties.

"Hundreds of Lancastrians have fought shoulder to shoulder as Lancashire lads for generations.

"The unique Lancashire spirit must not die."

The paper's campaign has already gained the support of councillors and MPs.

Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle, who has put a Commons Motion down on the issue, said: "I am absolutely delighted that the Lancashire Evening Telegraph is championing the cause of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment and fighting to ensure that the links with Lancashire and the Pals who originally formed the regiments from the area will remain.

"The support of the public and newspapers is vital to stop the loss of 300 years of county military history."

Click here to read about similar campaigns by the News & Star in Carlisle and the Dundee Courier.

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