A charity is urging ex-service personnel to apply for six new roles in East Anglia to support other veterans struggling with drug and alcohol misuse.

The fresh jobs are with the Outside the Wire team at The Matthew Project and they have been created thanks to successful grant bids worth £340,000.

Paul Martin, chief executive of the charity, has made the appeal because research from a 2016 Healthwatch report has shown former military workers prefer treatment and support from fellow veterans.

“We feel they can empathise with the issues and can relate to forces and combat experiences,” Mr Martin said.

The Matthew Project is expanding its services in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk because of an increase in demand from people who have been in the armed forces.

“These are vital funds to help support service men and women who return from duty and have issues with reintegrating into the community,” Mr Martin added. “In some cases people wait years before they seek help, sometimes self-medicating with drugs and alcohol.”

The charity believes there are many soldiers who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq who have yet to seek support, but soon will.

A recent study from Northumbria University states it is a “ticking time bomb” before those who have seen conflict hit “crisis point” because of alcohol abuse.

The money has come from The Royal British Legion, ABF the Soldiers’ Charity, LIBOR, Safer Suffolk and the Norfolk Covenant Fund.

Outside the Wire is a dedicated project specifically for current and former forces personnel and their families across the region.

Steven Baynes, head of social policy and grant giving at the Royal British Legion, said: “The transition to civilian life after a career in the armed forces can be difficult.

“Sadly, a minority of veterans struggle and find themselves in circumstances where they need help and support from local organisations.”

To find out more about the jobs and to apply, see here.