SOLDIERS and sailors raised over £2,700 when they collected donations for an armed forces charity in Chepstow and Caldicot.

The appeal was part of Big Collection for SSAFA the charity for ex-servicemen and women.

Sailors from HMS Monmouth joined soldiers from 1 Rifles, who are based at Beachley Barracks in Chepstow.

SSAFA Chepstow Divisional Secretary Chris Wilson stationed collectors all over Chepstow, nearby Caldicot at a garden centre and at Magor Services on the M4, where they rattled their blue buckets and tins.

The 1 Rifles contingent, under the command of B Company Sergeant Dan McCouaig collected £1,860.

Their team at the tarden centre collected the greatest sum, £661, for which they received a case of beer with thanks from SSAFA. The team from HMS Monmouth, under the command of Sub Lieutenant Nick COX, collected at the Tesco store in Chepstow and along the High Street collecting a total of £336.

Chris Kirk of SSAFA in Gwent paid tribute to all those collecting, saying they were "extremely smart, polite, upright and a credit to their service and to their battalion".

He added while we have a large military barracks nearby that provided a healthy team of collectors yesterday, we don't see the Royal Navy in Chepstow too often and so the men were very well received. Uniformed men with beards too are most rare here in Monmouthshire, but no less welcome!"

He said the annual event raised over £2,700 which will make a vital contribution to the running of SSAFA in this area for the coming year.