FORMER soldiers have launched a campaign to save the Queen's Lancashire Regiment from the axe.

The regiment is thought to be under threat, after Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon's spending cuts were announced last week.

It could be disbanded or merged with other northern units.

Campaigners say removing the county's name from the army would be an insult to thousands who lost their lives while battling for the country.

Three English infantry battalions will be scrapped at the start of next year as part of plans to streamline the armed forces and replace larger units of soldiers with investment in hi-tech equipment.

They have not been named, but the Queen's Lancashire Regiment is among the favourites to be axed, along with the King's Regiment and the King's Own Border Regiment.

The three could be merged into one.

Leading the fight to prevent the regiment being consigned to the history books is Geoffrey Lowe, secretary of the Queens' Lancashire Loyal Regimental Association.

He said: "People identify the Royals with Bolton and we want to keep that identity for the town and for the regiment.

"If people start writing to their MPs it will give a very clear message that the people of Bolton find it completely unacceptable to take away part of our heritage."

The regiment dates back to 1689.

It remains the only regiment of any army to have fought on every continent.

Soldiers have been recruited from Bolton to form the Queen's Lancashire Loyal Regiment, based at Preston, since 1873.

The county has already suffered cuts when the Loyal Regiment was merged with the East and South Lancashire Regiments in 1970 to form the current Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

Bolton North East MP David Crausby, who sits on the House of Commons defence select committee, also backed calls to keep the regiment.

He said: "It fits perfectly with what the army should be looking to keep -- localised regiments recruited from the areas where they are based.

"It has formed a very important part of the army's operations for a long time."