THE names of ten North-East soldiers whose graves could be dug up to make way for an airport have been released.

After resting untouched for nearly 85 years, the graves of the First World War heroes could be bulldozed as part of a £3.5bn scheme by the French government to build an international airport near the town of Chaulnes, 80 miles north of Paris.

The news has outraged the soldiers' former North-East regiments, who have joined forces with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in an attempt to block the plans.

Five of the graves belong to soldiers of the Durham Light Infantry's 11th and 22nd battalions, who died during fierce fighting near the Somme in March 1918, as they resisted a German offensive into France.

The soldiers died within days of each other and are buried in two British cemeteries, at Bouchoir and Fouquescourt, within the area the French are planning to build the airport.

The area was a notorious killing ground during the war, and is close to part of the front line of the Battle of Somme, which claimed 420,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers in 1916.

The other soldiers fought with the Northumberland Fusiliers, three of them poignantly buried side by side - just as they had fallen in February 1917.

The men are from all over the region - Cornforth, in County Durham, Newcastle, Hexham and Monkwearmouth.

Major Randel Cross, of the dli Museum, said he was very concerned that the graves could be moved.

He said: "We hope the French government will do all it can to avoid moving these graves - and we will do all we can to convince them to find an alternative site.

"These brave few, some of them just boys, gave their lives for their country and for freedom, and we hope they will be left to rest in peace."

The graves of thousands of other Commonwealth, French and German soldiers are also under threat, with 6,000 French troops alone buried at the Maucourt French National Cemetery.

Are you related to one of the First World War heroes? Call The Northern Echo newsdesk on (01325) 505054