A NELSON Royal Military Policeman was on the Bucharest beat to help 400 other soldiers in a two-week exercise in Romania.

Corporal Chris Bell, 33, who grew up in Nelson was called to help the Romanian Military Police to use his experience to help detract any kind of problems that could have arisen while in a small Romanian town called Focsani.

Corporal Bell had the responsibility of policing the Tyne Tees Regiment soldiers along with the help of Military Police Officer, Sergeant Steven Foster on and off duty. This involved liaising with the Romanian civil and military police, as well as bar owners and local authorities.

An Army spokesman said: "This was a diplomatic mission which received daily coverage in the Romanian press, any indiscipline could have had serious consequences, but the work of the military police, with a policy of firm but fair control, ensured local people and British soldiers got on well together."

Corporal Bell has served in Bosnia, Cyprus, the Falklands and Germany and has been in the Redcaps for 12 years which has helped to give him a useful insight into handling any potential problems.

Corporal Bell, who is now based at Catterick, said: "It was an experience working with the Romanian Military Police, they were impressed by how we worked and trained, everyone was very friendly and lots of Romanians liked to practice their English on us. They seemed to enjoy having us here."