Desert Rats in one of the biggest exercises of its kind in a decade

More than two thousand soldiers from our region are currently taking part in one of the biggest training operations of its kind for a decade.

Members of the Desert Rats from Essex and Norfolk are living and fighting on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire for six weeks as part of Exercise Wessex Storm.

Watch Kate Prout's report here:

It’s designed to test the soldiers on the skills needed to live and fight for long periods of time under harsh conditions.

Later this year, the Desert Rats will deploy on operations in Mali, Afghanistan and Poland. This Exercise is a key part of ensuring their readiness for those operations.