Army in training exercise beneath Leeds streets

The exercise was carried out by soldiers from 21 Engineer Regiment based in Ripon

The Army has carried out a training exercise underneath the streets of Leeds.

Soldiers from 21 Engineer Regiment, based in Ripon, in North Yorkshire, navigated 1.2 miles (2km) of waterlogged tunnels beneath the city.

Named Hypogeal Bear, the exercise was to practise moving medical and other equipment in wet and dark conditions.

The troops started near the Royal Armouries Museum and made their way to Harewood Barracks.

The soldiers entered the tunnel near the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds city centre

The exercise, carried out earleir this week, was supported by specialists from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Sgt Mottley, who organised the subterranean drill, said it was about practicing skills "in a real-world environment".

"This is not a sterile training area. It is not easy-going underfoot, it is not easy to manoeuvre down," he said.

"We are in the middle of Leeds and it is something completely different. The links that this has built with Leeds City Council and the Fire and Rescue Service have also been a big plus."

The exercise was to practise moving medical equipment underground

The mission was to move equipment for a mock first aid post, manned by the unit doctor.

Passers-by occasionally caught glimpses of the soldiers from city bridges as they moved through the tunnel complex.

The soldiers made their way through 1.2 miles (2km) of waterlogged tunnels

Other training exercises are planned for the engineering regiment in Leeds, including assaulting a building complex alongside the Royal Anglian Regiment.

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