MPs are set to decide on whether to renew Britain's nuclear weapons programme in a Commons vote later.

South Dorset MP Richard Drax has said he will vote to support the renewal of the Trident programme.

The former solider told the Echo: "It is a very very important part of our whole defence strategy. Like any insurance policy it is costly, until and if you need it, and at that stage you thank God you kept up with the premiums."

He added: "Nobody wants to be spraying nuclear bombs around the world and neither do we, but while potential enemies hold them and increasingly terrorist factions might be able to get their hands on them, we need to have that ultimate deterrent."

"I would love to live in a world of unilateralism but one has to be realistic and pragmatic - that isn't going to happen, certainly in the foreseeable future. We must have that potential deterrent in our army."