NEW recruits could be marching into the army because of the recession on civvy street, a recruitment officer told The Evening Star.

NEW recruits could be marching into the army because of the recession on civvy street, a recruitment officer told The Evening Star.

A three-day enrolment drive came to the streets of Suffolk this week and reported a lot of interest from people keen to join the force.

Led by the Royal Anglian Regiment, the recruitment campaign was outside Debenhams in Ipswich on Tuesday before moving on to Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft.

Lance Corporal Russell Doherty, of the Royal Anglian Regiment, said there had been a good response from people who stopped to learn more about the army.

The soldiers gave out leaflets and recruitment packs for wanna-be soldiers, as well as chatting to them about life in the army.

There was also a display of weapons and pictures boards with information.

Lance Corporal Doherty, 20, said: “We have had a lot of interest and we have been able to tell them about the different parts of the army and the different things they do.

“Our regiment is fully manned but we are trying to recruit for the rest of the army. What with the recession people are looking to join up.”

He said there seemed to be no impact on recruiting due to the recent soldier deaths in Afghanistan, adding: “For young people, politics is not really part of their lives and they don't tend to see it as a job, they see it as a lifestyle.

“It is a like a family - the friends I have made in the army will be friends for life.”