SHORTLY, servicemen and women from this area will be deployed to Afghanistan. Some parts of this journey will probably take place on a 40-year-old aircraft, the Lockheed Tristar.

Using such an old aircraft, no matter how well maintained, is creating an unnecessary risk. No decent airline would use such an old aircraft.

With cuts being proposed in the defence budget, it is likely that the Tristar’s replacement could be delayed further. Mistakes have been made in the past by keeping the Nimrod aircraft in service too long.

Ultimately, it is up to David Cameron’s Government to act and to act quickly.

Our brave men and women face many dangers in their time in Afghanistan.

It is wrong that they are put at risk by this Government and the previous one by failing to replace such an old aircraft.

C Mangham, Lindsey Avenue, Acomb, York.