A NEW parliamentary group aimed at getting rid of land mines has been backed by two East Lancashire MPs.

Hyndburn's Greg Pope and Burnley's Peter Pike are founder members of the all-party campaign.

The All-Party Land Mine Eradication Group aims to gather and analyse information on anti personnel land mines.

It will urge the government to review British policy on their manufacture and export.

Mr Pike and Mr Pope have written to Defence Secretary, Michael Portillo, expressing their concerns and outlining the group's aims.

They said: "One million people have been killed or maimed by anti personnel land mines in the last 25 years. Twenty-six thousand civilians a year are killed and maimed by land mines. These horrific figures need to be tackled."

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