TWO new recruits from the region are to join an elite Army regiment.

Seventeen-year-old John Madderson, from Darlington, and 21-year-old Glenn Warris, from Northallerton, have enlisted in the Parachute Regiment at Darlington's Army careers office.

Mr Madderson, a former Branksome School pupil, said: "I'm really looking forward to enlisting with the Parachute Regiment and cannot wait to get involved in Army life and rise to the challenges that lie ahead."

Both John and Glenn are following family members into the Army. John has three uncles currently serving in the Army, while Glenn will be joining his stepfather, who is also in the Parachute Regiment.

The pair will train at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, North Yorkshire.

There they will complete the Combat Infantryman's Course, which culminates in a two-week Battle Camp, testing the acquired mental and physical fitness in a challenging environment. Both hope to emerge as infantrymen.

They will then go on to Brize Norton, in Wiltshire, to complete a three-week parachute course, where they will learn everything from landing to dropping, including static trial parachute jumps, at a height of 800m.

WO2 Mick O'Reilly, from the Darlington Army careers information office, said: "It's extremely satisfying to see such exceptional recruits embarking on their army careers.

"John and Glenn will have plenty of training opportunities, and could find themselves working anywhere in the world in the near future.

"I am sure they will enjoy exciting futures with the Army and have great career prospects ahead of them."

For further information,call 08457-300-111, visit your local Army careers office, or log on to www.armyjobs.mod.uk