Minister confirms UK rifle 'jammed'

The government is spending £80m to repair the SA80

A faulty British rifle jammed during active service in Sierra Leone, Foreign Office minister Peter Hain has confirmed.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there was a "serious situation" when the SA80 rifles of two British soldiers jammed as rebel forces in the African state attacked.

The troops were saved by comrades using older and more reliable weapons.

The Ministry of Defence told BBC News Online that the soldiers were not at risk at any time.

The Sierra Leone incident is the latest in a series of problems documented with the rifle. Around 200,000 of the British infantry weapons are to be modified.

It emerged five years ago that the weapons can jam in extreme hot or cold temperatures.

Pathfinder troops affected

Mr Hain's comments follow a newspaper report that the weapons failed in May when rebel forces attacked British Pathfinder troops close to Lungi Airport in Sierra Leone.

The minister told the BBC: "There was a serious situation actually in Sierra Leone when the Pathfinder troops found their rifles jammed."

He continued: "The modification programme reflects the government's concern to ensure that this rifle is operating at the utmost level of efficiency.

"The lessons learnt from that incident will be taken on board, because it must not happen again."

An £80m modification to the rifles is expected to be carried out by British gun-maker Heckler and Koch.

The first batch of rifles is due by the end of 2001.