IF CHANGES had not taken place to the British Army over the years some of its regiments would still be fighting on horseback, according to Ellesmere Port Labour MP Andrew Miller.

He was commenting after a cross-party delegation of Cheshire and Wirral MPs met Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon last week to press the case for the future of the 1st Battalion the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment.

Mr Miller said the meeting stemmed from a paper he sent to Mr Hoon earlier this year on behalf of Cheshire and Wirral members.

The paper recognised the important contribution the Cheshires have played during 300 years and called for the retention of the name in any changed Army structures.

Mr Miller said: 'Even if there were a larger grouping within the Prince of Wales Division, the paper argued that it is essential that the county identity is retained within any new organisation.

'The Secretary of State has agreed to respond in detail to the representations in the near future.'

He added: 'We should recognise that change is inevitable, otherwise we would still have regiments fighting on horseback.

'However, local MPs are determined to ensure that any change does not undermine the ability to recruit and retain the best available people from within the regiment's traditional catch-ment area.'

The Army Board is due to make an announcement on the shape of the changes before Christmas.

Also last week Cheshire county councillor Eveleigh Moore Dutton handed a 'Save the Cheshires' petition containing thousands of names to 10 Downing Street.

It called on the Prime Minister to give the regiment a Christmas present by stopping the threatened amalgamation in its tracks.

The Tory member for Broxton said: 'The strength of feeling against this proposal is there for all to see.

'The petition clearly shows the strong identity and respect that people, young and old, have for a regiment whose soldiers until very recently were risking their lives in Iraq.'