WHILE Salisbury's links with the army are long established, the city can now proudly claim a naval connection as well, after a Porton resident was awarded an MBE for his services to the Royal Marines.

Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Tristan Lovering, who originally hails from Ford but has lived in both Downton and Alderbury in the past 20 years, was awarded his MBE in this year's Queen's birthday honours' list.

The honour was principally awarded for Lieutenant Commander Lovering's work as an instructor on the Royal Marines officer education programme, based in Devon, where he was responsible for teaching amphibious warfare to new officers.

However, the honour also recognises all the hard work he has put in to a new book on the history of Royal Marine military warfare, which is due to be published early next year.

All the profits from the book will be donated to a Royal Marines' retirement charity.

The MBE was bestowed at a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace, and Lieutenant Commander Lovering was accompanied there by his wife, Lisa, and his three children, Monty, 9, Horatio, 7, and Tiggy, 5.

He said: "It was a real honour to receive this award and I am so pleased that all my family got to share this moment with me."