ITALIAN soldiers were put through their paces in Warminster last week.

Some 80 personnel from the 132 Ariete Armoured Brigade used the Combined Arms Staff Trainer facility in the town.

Under the command of Brigadier Mauro Moscatelli, they are part of a division which is assigned to the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

The soldiers, who are based near Venice in north-east Italy, were making their first trip to Warminster since 1998.

Recent deployments for the brigade have included Bosnia in 1998-99 and in Kosovo during 1999-00.