I THINK it's scandalous that under the Ministry of Defence's latest spending review, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, which recruits heavily in this part of the world, may soon face the axe.

The regiment, which was formed in 1968 from four illustrious English fusilier regiments - including the Lancashire Fusiliers - has served this country magnificently over the years.

It is a huge credit to the Regiment that, since 1968, it has maintained close links with all its former areas - but especially the Bury area. You only need to speak to any former mayor of the borough about the Fusiliers and it's not long before glowing tributes start to flow.

It is sad, therefore, that if the threat of defence cuts is to be believed all this could soon change. And it baffles me that someone somewhere in a Whitehall office has an idea that suddenly the world has become a much safer place and that Britain can now afford to disband some of its army regiments.

If the everyday news bulletins were anything to go by, it would seem the world could hardly be more volatile. It may well be that the Government hopes the security situation in Northern Ireland can continue to be scaled down - who doesn't hope for this?

But the very idea that, because Northern Ireland is currently reaping a so-called peace dividend, Britain can now stage a series of swingeing defence cuts will no doubt astound many members of the armed forces who have seen service in such places as the Gulf, Bosnia and Sierra Leone. Because of the worldwide uncertainty we find ourselves in, who in their right mind today would bet against Britain's military commitments increasing, rather than declining, in the years ahead?

The sheer unpredictability of the war on terror, which President Bush said recently 'could last indefinitely', means that the level of Britain's military strength is crucially important. Defence budget cuts have already resulted in countless stories of British soldiers being sent into battle with faulty equipment and the Government have stressed many times that the war on terror is a new kind of conflict. Yet the situation in Iraq still calls for traditional soldiering, evidence of which could be seen with the Black Watch regiment out there in the 'Triangle of Death'.

In my opinion, it is utter madness for a nation to even contemplate cuts in its armed forces while still fighting a war.

I applaud wholeheartedly all those who are now striving to save the regiment. As for me, I have already written to Mr Geoff Hoon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, to register my indignation and to request him not to do away with the Fusiliers, or any other of Britains fine regiments.

COUNCILLOR BARRY THECKSTON,

Ramsbottom.