A QUARTER of a billion pounds will be spent on new accommodation for Royal Marine recruits at a base near Exeter, it has been announced.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has today, Monday, June 2, announced the £250m will be spent at the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre near Lympstone over the coming years.

The announcement by the MoD comes ahead of a further announcement later today, Monday, June 2, of the strategic defence review by the Prime Minister.

In addition to the new accommodation, drone training will also be made available to recruits.

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, said the training centre would continue to produce the nation's ‘warfighting Special Ops Force’.