Commercial ships take military hardware

Camouflaged vehicles arrive at Devonport Naval Base

The military build-up towards a possible war with Iraq has increased in the South West.

Hundreds of military vehicles and tons of vital equipment are being loaded on commercial ships at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth.

All the vehicles being loaded are bearing desert camouflage.

The Royal Navy refused to give any details but confirmed the vehicles were being loaded on to commercial vessels at Devonport.

The vehicles will be used for military support

The hardware includes ambulances, four-wheel drive vehicles, tankers and other support transport.

Meanwhile, more helicopters from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall have joined the Royal Navy's Task Force in the Mediterranean, bringing the number of personnel deployed from the base to 275.

They are joining HMS Ark Royal, which left Scotland last week, after travelling up from Portsmouth to pick up supplies.

Ark Royal has 100 Royal Marines from Plymouth among the hundreds of service personnel on board.

She is being joined by HMS Ocean, which left Devonport last week with hundreds more South West-based Royal Marines among its 1,000 personnel.