SOLDIER John Loudon will be ensuring that the ceremonial field guns in his care are in tip-top order for next month's Royal Salute.

The gunner from the 38 Seringapatam Battery, 40 Regiment Royal Artillery, based at Alanbrooke Barracks, in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, is one of a specialist team charged with looking after the regiment's 25-pounder ceremonial guns.

Four of 38 Seringapatam Battery's ceremonial guns will fire off a Royal Salute in York at 1pm on Monday, in honour of the Queen's 50th year as monarch.

Royal Salutes will also be fired at the four national capitals and various military bases around the UK, and will consist of 21 rounds fired from four guns at 15-second intervals.

Gunner Loudon, who has been with the Army for seven years since leaving Staindrop Comprehensive School in Teesdale, joined the 40 Regiment Royal Artillery while based in Germany, and moved to Alanbrooke Barracks in 1998.

A keen supporter of Darlington Football Club, he is a keen soccer player himself and part of the Nordic Skiing Team for his regiment.

He is among a rare breed of 38 Battery gunners from the region, because members are traditionally recruited from Scotland.

The battery was formed in 1768 as part of the Bombay Artillery, and took part in the Mysore War of 1799 in southern India, where it received its name during the battle of Seringapatam in 1799.