Women stage rooftop Army protest

The two women say the regiment has too much local history to be lost

Two women are staging a rooftop protest over Army restructuring plans which could see an historic Yorkshire regiment being disbanded.

An Army Board committee is meeting on Monday to discuss the restructuring proposals.

Mary Lister and Christine Dobson have ties with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment and have climbed on top of Keighley's Territorial Army building.

Mrs Lister said the regiment, currently in Iraq, was much needed.

Infantry men

Mrs Lister's 37-year-old brother, Cpl Tommy Thompson, is a member of the Dukes, the county regiment for West and South Yorkshire, and will be in Iraq over Christmas.

She said: "This is the second time he has been sent to Iraq.

"The Army is always going to need infantry men. It doesn't matter how the army is modernised, they will always need the infantry."

Cpl Thompson is the third generation of his family to join the Dukes.

Stay overnight

"Our great uncle, also called Tommy Thompson, was decorated in World War I and lost his life during the Battle of the Somme.

"The regiment has one of the best recruitment numbers in the Army. A lot of local men join the Dukes and it has a lot of local history."

The women started their protest at 7.30am on Monday and were prepared to stay overnight.

Friends and supporters are keeping them supplied with cups of coffee.

"We know nothing will be decided to day but we will be down at Westminster next week to make our views knows," Mrs Lister said.