Former servicemen and women in Colchester have helped boost the morale of British troops fighting in the Gulf.

Members of the town's branch of the Royal Engineers' Association have been collecting books to send to soldiers currently serving in Kuwait and Iraq.

Secretary Ken Warne said the association wanted to do something to help the men and women who are away from home and may be missing home comforts.

He said he had served in Malaysia during his time with the Royal Engineers so knew how much items from home meant to troops.

"It is so nice to get stuff from home while you are away," he said. "They will know that people are thinking of them."

The association had collected five large boxes of novels for the troops and Mr Warne was taking them to the base of 33 Engineer Regiment in Wimbish so they could be sent to the Gulf.

Mr Warne said he was also taking toiletries, which had been donated by Boots in Colchester, so they could be distributed to troops by the Royal Engineers

Published Tuesday, April 8, 2003

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