THE FUTURE of Lancashire's infantry regiment is hanging in the balance following a statement about the future of the Armed Forces in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Geoff Hoon, minister for the Armed Forces, announced three infantry battalions from England and one in Scotland are to be cut. It is feared the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR) could be among those to be merged.

But members of the regiment are already drawing the battlelines and preparing to fight the threat.

Lieutenant Colonel John Downham, who has served with the QLR for more than 40 years, said: "We must save the regiment, it's a crucial part of Lancashire. We won't let it go without a fight."

A campaign has already been launched to save the unit, whose regimental headquarters are at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, with a petition mounted across the county and on the internet. Lt Col Downham said: ""Geoff Hoon's statement confirmed our worst fears. It is a saddening announcement."

In his statement to the House of Commons Mr Hoon said any merged regiments would retain their traditions.

But Lt Col Downham did not agree: "If you merge one regiment with another you do so from top to bottom and left to right.

"All the traditions, uniforms and badges all go into one pot and come out with something different."

He continued: "A merger would be detrimental to morale and future recruiting in the north west.

"It's not just about the QLR, it's the regiments that have formed it over the last 300 years.

The region's MPs, councillors and civic leaders have already been briefed about the campaign earlier this week and have pledged their support to keep the regiment.

Lt Col Downham said: "Our regiment is at strength and we are very good at recruiting from our own area and this is what gives it its core identity and we will fight to keep it."

Brigadier Geoffrey Sheldon, colonel of the regiment, said he believed the QLR, which has won more battle honours than any other infantry units, should be excluded from any mergers.

He said: "By any rational measure, the Queen's Lancashire Regiment should be excluded from a process which is designed, in part, to compensate for failures to recruit and retain suitable personnel in other parts of the army."

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "It is unknown when the final decision of which regiments will be merged will take place.

"But it is thought it will be towards the end of the year, possibly September."