Row over 'too expensive' handguns

Jimmy Major, from Grimsby, was one of five soldiers shot dead by a rogue Afghan policeman in Helmand Province last November.

The troops from the Grenadier Guards and the Royal Military Police had been mentoring a squad of Afghan National Police and had just returned from a morning patrol. Once inside their defended compound, they had put down their main weapons and removed their body armour to relax. One of the Afghan policemen then opened fire at close range.

Jimmy's father Adrian said his son and their colleagues had little chance of defending themselves.

Mr Major said he was told by an Army representative that it was too expensive to provide all soldiers with pistols. "Out of 16 only three had small arms. And we were told that they couldn't afford to give them all a side arm. If I'd known I'd have bought him a side arm myself," Mr Major told BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme.

But a Ministry of Defence said: "This is absolutely not an issue of cost – not all British troops routinely carry side arms.

"There are enough side arms in theatre should individuals require them."

File on 4 is broadcast tomorrow on BBC Radio 4 at 8pm.