VILLAGERS will meet to air their views on the possibility of Lympstone village being used as the location for a marine training exercise. The head teacher at Lympstone Primary School, as well as residents and members from the parish council, will join off

VILLAGERS will meet to air their views on the possibility of Lympstone village being used as the location for a marine training exercise.

The head teacher at Lympstone Primary School, as well as residents and members from the parish council, will join officers from the Commando Training Centre to discuss the issue tonight, January 28.

Officers want to use the village to carry out a counter-insurgency exercise - armed with guns - for around two days this October.

Rob Longhurst, chairman of the parish council, said: "The captain (from CTC) who will be running the training exercise is coming down to the village to discuss the plan.

"The headmaster from Lympstone School will also be attending and hopefully people from pubs and shops. It is an opportunity, really, to hear concerns about the plans so that they can be addressed."

Andy Watkins, who runs training at the Commando Training Centre, said the work would present officers with a number of scenarios, aimed at dealing with dissent and anti-government feeling.

He added: ""We would run a scenario which tests the officers how to operate in a community they are slightly unfamiliar with.

"It is very easy to go to a location where it is empty and do our own work but what is critical is working in and amongst communities. If you can do that well it is so much easier when you go abroad."

Mr Longhurst said, in principle, he did not think the plan was something the village could not accommodate.

"Lympstone is very proud of the work the Royal Marines do," he said.