A city that has strong links with the armed forces is taking a close interest in its soldiers and sailors on tours of duty overseas.

But the Plymouth Evening Herald has gone one step further – and has journalists with its troops in both Belize, in central America, and Oman in the Gulf.

That means the Herald is bringing news and pictures from both ends of Britain’s biggest deployment of personnel and military hardware for 15 years.

Herald defence reporter Charlie Morton is reporting on Exercise Saif Sareea, visiting hundreds of Marines stationed in the Middle East, who include 150 from the Plymouth barracks.

The forces have been setting up camp, installing pipelines and digging wells prior to their combat manoeuvres.

The nuclear-powered submarines HMS Trafalgar and HMS Triumph, which were both involved in the opening action against the Taliban, are based at Devonport Naval base, Plymouth.

On the other side of the globe, reporter James Garnett is travelling with Plymouth soldiers deployed with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment – the British Army’s deep jungle specialists – on a five-week exercise.

Editor Alan Qualtrough said: “Our decision to send defence reporter Charlie Morton to the potential flashpoint of Oman reflects our commitment to the Royal Marines and Royal Navy personnel taking part in Exercise Saif Sareea.

“The visit by James Garnett to the Devon and Dorset Regiment in Belize shows they too are not forgotten.

“These men and women are the pride of Plymouth and we are proud to be reporting on them.”