ANOTHER five infantry battalions - and hundreds of soldiers based in the region - could be axed as the Government considers more cuts in Britain's armed forces.

The Ministry of Defence said yesterday no decisions have been made, although a White Paper is due in the autumn on the future of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

However, Conservative spokesman on security Patrick Mercer said details leaked to the Tories suggest the Army's manpower could be cut by another 2,500 troops, and units with more than one battalion were the most at risk.

He said: "The Army is already on the point of sinking below its critical mass. A new round of cuts could seriously undermine the soldiers' ability to do their job."

Mr Mercer said the Royal Armoured Corps - which includes the Queen's Royal Lancers, who arrived at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, in June - has already been told to pare back its recruiting.

Infantry units with barracks on the base include the 1st Battalion, The King's Regiment; the 1st Battalion, The Queen's Lancashire Regiment; and the 1st Battalion, the King's Own Scottish Borderers - all currently serving in Iraq.

The King's Regiment and The Queen's Lancashire Regiment have second battalions - although they are made up of reservists rather than regular troops.

Mr Mercer said Gurkha companies, used to supplement units down on numbers, could also be reduced to help cut costs.

Stockton South MP Dari Taylor, who was a member of the Commons defence select committee until recently, said she hoped no decision would be made without thorough consultation with senior officers from the three services.

"We have to be sure that the current level of competence in our armed forces is maintained," she said.

"We are already relying heavily on the Territorial Army and no decision on the way ahead should be taken without some specialist advice."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said no decision had been made about the future of the armed forces. He dismissed Mr Mercer's claims as speculation