A CALL has been issued to West Devon residents to help boost military morale this Christmas.

With Christmas approaching, specialist military penpals and dating website forcespenpals.co.uk is calling on the public to think of the troops and send a message of support to soldiers serving overseas.

The website works to boost the morale of troops by enabling people to write to serving members of the armed forces around the world, either via letter, email or by talking in live chat rooms.

Bruno Mustone, managing director of forcespenpals.co.uk, said: 'Christmas on the front-line can be a very lonely place, so we are urging everybody to log on and send a message of support to the people bravely fighting on our behalf this Christmas.

'Serving soldiers often spend up to six months at a time away, and receiving a message from home can make a real difference — particularly over the festive season.'

forcespenpals.co.uk has more than 94,000 active members who are looking for friendship or romance. Launched in 2003 the site was set up to provide members of the armed forces with a way to meet people outside the military environment whether at home or on operations.

People who want to write to serving members of the forces can register at forcespenpals.co.uk