TWO North-East recruits for ITV's celebration of 1950s National Service are already earning battle honours with TV audiences.

In the show Lads' Army, Middlesbrough's Michael Honzik has amazed millions by turning up for duty with a teddy bear, and Newcastle's Alex Kinsey went through the embarrassment of confessing he had a pair of women's knickers in his locker.

The square-bashing duo are among 30 volunteers who are into the second week of a month's basic training with the Essex Regiment at Browndown, Gosport, Hampshire.

Twice-weekly programmes, narrated by Tynesider Kevin Whately, started last week, with ITV2's Kate Thornton giving further updates on the show, Privates Exposed.

Michael, 18, a design student, of Coulby Newham, and has already been given humiliating punishments because he keeps laughing on parade. On Wednesday, viewers saw him refuse to hand over the teddy bear given to him by girlfriend Jemma, despite the scorn of his squad's leader, Corporal Richard Nauyokas.

Alex, 21, a law graduate now living in London, fell foul of the rules and regulations of 1950, when homosexuality was an offence. He stepped forward to admit owning female underwear when Corporal Joseph Murray started punishing the entire squad until someone spoke up.

Next week's Lads' Army programmes will be on Monday and Friday, both at 9pm.