BUSINESS chiefs in the south west have been told they must play a key role in the war against terrorism.

General Sir Michael Rose, the former commander of the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina, speaking at a seminar in Somerset, told businessmen they had a duty to ensure good security in their businesses.

"This is a subject that should be on the boardroom table because your security will be your best defence," he told the seminar organised by Wessex Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.

"The terrorist will look at different companies to see how they operate and those in danger will be those with the poorest security.

"You need to have recovery and contingency plans, to know where all your people are and to be able to look after families if things go wrong. Most of all, you need to rehearse these things and do it all from senior level."

He said support for the Volunteer Reserve Forces was more vital than it had been for many years.

In return, any company employing a reservist gained enormous benefits from military training, in particular, development of leadership skills and confidence, when taken back into the civilian workplace.