SOLDIERS from the North-East took part in a raid on Taliban lines in Afghanistan which discovered weapons and improvised explosive devices.

The operation, involving Royal Marines from 45 Commando Group, took place in the Sangin area, in the north of Helmand Province. It builds on 45 Commando's successful operation in January when they captured a Taliban command post, IED factory, and a huge haul of weapons and explosives.

The Royal Marines are due to complete their six-month tour and return to their Arbroath base in Scotland next month.

It didn't take long for the soldiers to find the first substantial haul, when three complete IED devices were discovered in a sack on a shelf. Section Commander, Corporal Wayne Harrison, 29, from North Shields, said: "The package was obviously ready to be used against ISAF forces in the Sangin area - but all too often it's the Afghan national security forces or civilians who are the victims.

“There was no attempt to conceal the devices which proves they were ready to be used, and potentially could have been on the ground the very next day."

The IEDs were then destroyed in a controlled explosion and the patrol moved on.

After several hours there was another find near an old Russian trench system - abandoned from the late 1980s.

Marine David Young, 21, from Teesside said: "I thought it was going to be an old Russian mine, but it turned out to be a weapon - a .303 rifle - probably hidden by the enemy for future use. I was especially pleased that we now had it, instead of enemy forces.

"After finding that, just a few metres away, I found a 105mm shell packed with explosives, which could be used as a sizeable IED. Again, I'm happy, as every find is a weapon that can't be used on us or the Afghan people."