HEROIC Royal Marines from 40 Commando, based at Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, have returned home from a challenging tour of Afghanistan to find their jobs are on the line.

The country's 9,000 Royal Marines, including those from 40 Commando, will be in the melting pot when the Royal Navy decides where to lose 5,000 jobs.

On Tuesday, Peter Luff, Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, warned the region would have take its fair share of the Defence cuts, but said: “I'm not aware of any particular impact on Somerset itself - we don't have to worry too much about that."

Around 42,000 Defence jobs are to be cut nationwide - 25,000 at the MoD and 17,000 uniformed personnel.

Today an MoD spokesman said no figures were available on the number of Marines to be cut. They also said no decisions had been taken on how the axe would fall - whether it be by cutting a whole unit, or percentage from several units.

However, they offered some comfort adding: “Infantry battalions in the Army are not being cut - the Marines are the infantry battalions of the Navy.”