A LYMPSTONE Royal Marine trainer has been tasked with the job of bringing home the army s equipment from Iraq.

A LYMPSTONE Royal Marine trainer has been tasked with the job of bringing home the army's equipment from Iraq.

Brigadier Paul Stearns, 48, who lives near Exmouth, is overseeing the removal of more than 4,000 combat troops, 5,000 containers of kit and more than 1,000 vehicles, including quad bikes and tanks.

Married father-of-one Brigadier Stearns, who joined the marines in 1987, said most of the equipment was now in transit.

He said: "Today's military equipment is at a premium, it is high quality and high value.

"It's vital we get it to its next home, fully-refurbished or put on the shelf ready for use again as quickly as possible.

"The taxpayer has invested a lot of money in our equipment and my team are acutely aware of this. It is my job to protect that investment.