THE mums of more Ellesmere Port soldiers have contacted the Pioneer to say how annoyed they are about having to pay to send parcels to their lads serving in Iraq.

Last week Christine Jones, of Ellesmere Port, spoke of her anger at being forced to fork out £6.89 a time to post off parcels of small home comforts to her 23-year-old son, Private Leonard 'Bud' Jones, who is in the Basra area with the Cheshire Regiment.

She discovered although the cost of sending parcels to British servicemen and women stationed in Iraq had been waived for more than a year, it was reintroduced on April 8 - days before our county regiment were deployed.

The British Forces Post Office (BFPO) has said the decision to reintroduce charges for parcels weighing up to 2kgs was taken following 'the increased availability of consumables locally'.

But Christine Jones said her son had told her by phone the troops hadnowhere to buy supplies.

Susan Rotherham, mother of Lance Corporal Adrian Rotherham of the Cheshire Regiment, said: 'The little things like toiletries we are able to send out to them make the lads feel a lot better.

'I believe it was Tony Balir who removed the charge last year, and he needs to do it again now.'

Karen Timmins, mother of 20-year-old Cheshires' soldier Private Lee Timmins, said: 'I can't see why the troops aren't entitled to the same concessions as those who were there last year.'

Marjorie Smith explained how she has two sons serving with the Royal Engineers in Iraq.

Joel Smith had already been out there for six months from early last year and his brother, WO2 Lee Smith, was now in Basra.

She said: 'I was able to send the parcels out to Joel free of charge. To think sending the same kind of things out to Lee will now cost me £6.89 a time does not seem fair.

If you are angry about the charge to send parcels to our troops in Iraq, let us know by ringing the Pioneer on 0151 356 2345 or e-mailing us at: pioneer@cheshirenews.co.uk

On Monday, the Cheshire Regiment assumed responsibility for military operations in Basra City.

Their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel John Donnelly, issued the following statement: 'The next six months will be challenging and, at times, dangerous for the 600 soldiers of the regiment as they play a crucial role in restoring stability and democracy to Iraq.

'They are a great credit to themselves, their families and loved ones, and to the county whose name they proudly serve.'