FORMER army comrades have returned to the site of their basic training after 50 years.

Mike Whitmarsh, 72, led a reunion of five former colleagues who trained at Blandford Camp in 1960 before completing their national service with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Mr Whitmarsh, who still works as a motor mechanic at Stanbridge Garage near Wimborne, said the group had stayed in contact for half a century since serving in Bielefeld, Germany.

Comrades travelled back to Blandford on Thursday from as far as Newcastle, Sheffield, Derbyshire and Germany.

After a late call-up at the age of 22 to allow them to finish their motor mechanics apprenticeships, the group found themselves serving an additional six months on their two-year period of national service.

Heightened tensions during the construction of the Berlin Wall meant the group was just one of many on national service ordered to stay in Germany.

Garrison staff officer Lt Col Bob Brannigan (rtd) gave the group a guided tour of the Black Lane army base.