Landmine charity's lifesaving work supported

The world's largest land mine clearance charity - the south of Scotland-based Halo Trust - has secured funding to continue its work in Ukraine and Afghanistan.

The UK government has awarded it more than £7m towards its efforts to remove deadly explosives around the world.

International Development Minister Annaliese Dodds visited its headquarters near Thornhill in Dumfries and Galloway to see their demining training in action.

"No one should have to live in fear of being killed or maimed by one wrong step," she said.

"These deadly devices sow fear and destruction for decades and organisations like the Halo Trust do a vital job in clearing mines."

In addition to the extension of contracts in Ukraine and Afghanisation, the minister also announced £250,000 to dispose of unsafe ammunition and explosives in Somaliland.

Ms Dodds said the funding should allow the Halo Trust to continue its "life-saving work removing deadly devices from some of the most hazardous parts of the world".

As part of the visit, she also spoke to female deminers operating in Syria and Ukraine from the trust's situation room.

She added: "During my visit today I have been given fascinating insights into the challenging conditions under which Halo's deminers work.

"I was struck by the increasingly important contribution that female deminers are making in a traditionally male-dominated sector."

Since its establishment in 1988, the Halo Trust has cleared two million mines and other explosive ordnance – saving an estimated two million lives and giving more than 10 million people safer access to schools, health clinics and farming land.

Ruth Jackson, chief strategy officer at the trust, said: "There can be no genuine recovery from conflict until all deadly unexploded mines and munitions are safely cleared."

She said the funding would make a "huge difference" to tens of thousands of people at risk from "dangerous levels of explosive contamination".

"Until the last landmine is out of the ground and the last bomb defused, large numbers of people will continue to live in fear," she said.

"We remain dedicated to continuing our lifesaving work alongside the Mines Advisory Group and other partners until this is achieved."