CRITICISM of the British Army's main assault rifle continued yesterday, despite the Ministry of Defence (MoD) claims that an upgraded version has proved more reliable.

A question mark has hovered over the SA80 ever since it replaced the .762 SLR, with troops claiming it was susceptible to jamming.

More recently, soldiers from Catterick, Ripon and Topcliffe, currently on exercise in Canada as the world braces itself for a war in the Middle East, have also questioned the weapon's track record.

Yesterday, one ex-regular who now serves with the Territorial Army also broke ranks to condemn the rifle, suggesting even an improved version may not be well received by the troops.

"One of the main problems is you can't use the gun left-handed. Anyone who tries gets the cocking mechanism full in the face; I've seen someone get their jaw broken by it," said the 40-year-old from Durham, who asked not to be named.

"The guns are fragile; I know I've broken three in a day and another problem is that the parts are not easily interchangeable. If something does break, then it can mean a whole new weapon, which is not a good thing in battle.

"I know lads who are saying that if they do see action, they'll be slinging the SA80 on their backs as soon as they get hold of an AK47 or American M16."

The MoD told the Northern Echo that soldiers with units which make up 19 Mechanised Brigade, on exercise in Canada, have yet to be issued with the new SA80 A2 - tested in the Middle Eastern desert and reported to be 85 per cent reliable if cleaned properly.

Senior officers have also emphasised, if British soldiers are sent to fight, cost will no longer be an issue and they will be issued with the best available weapons and equipment.