Soldiers' partners can stay overnight

The move is aimed at retaining more recruits

In a break with army tradition, unmarried British soldiers are being allowed to invite their partners to spend nights in barracks.

A number of commanding officers around the country have already introduced the policy, and others are set to follow.

The move is part of a drive to modernise military lifestyles, and enable the Army to retain new recruits.

We are not setting up knocking shops

General Sir Michael Walker

"Many of the Army's rules and regulations have been around since the days of conscription and are no longer so applicable in 21st century Britain," said a spokesman.

"Soldiers are individuals and what they do in their private lives is their own affair," he added.

Soldiers who have single rooms in barracks will be able to bring their partners into quarters.

At present, single rooms with en-suite bathrooms make up only 15% of accommodation, but the Army is building more.

'Bed and breakfast'

For the others, the Army is currently setting up "welfare houses", which soldiers will be able to hire.

Alcohol will also be allowed on the premises where appropriate.

"It is not dissimilar to a bed and breakfast," the spokesman said.

"The barracks are miles and miles from anywhere, so allowing soldiers to bring up their girlfriends for the weekend is a sensible thing to do."

Defending the move, General Sir Michael Walker, the Chief of the General Staff, said: "We are not setting up knocking shops. We are enabling commanding officers to use flexibility in the way our people live their lives."

The Army is also understood to be looking at whether to allow single soldiers with long-term boyfriends or girlfriends to live in married quarters.