Salisbury Plain soldier death: Jethro Watson-Pickering named by Army

A soldier who died during an Army training exercise on Salisbury Plain has been named.

Pte Jethro Watson-Pickering of the 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, was part of a crew operating an armoured vehicle in Wiltshire on Friday.

The vehicle overturned near Enford and hit a tree, trapping several soldiers inside, a source told the BBC.

The Yorkshire Regiment said on Facebook that its thoughts and prayers were with Pte Watson-Pickering's family.

It also confirmed the 23-year-old was from the village of Boosbeck, near Redcar on Teesside.

The presence of live ammunition meant firefighters could not use cutting equipment, so Army engineers rescued those inside, the source said.

It took several hours for the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to free the soldiers.

Wiltshire Police said a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive and the Army has been launched.

An Army spokesperson added: "It is with sadness that we can confirm the death of Private Jethro Watson-Pickering in an incident on Salisbury Plain Training Area.

"The thoughts and sympathies of the Army are with the family and friends of Pte Watson-Pickering at this very sad time."

The British Army currently has about 76,500 soldiers, with about 15,000 based around the West Country.

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