BIG beefy soldiers tucked into soldiers of the eggy variety when Colchester schoolchildren invited them to a celebration of the best of British food .

Troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade joined town mayor Henry Spyvee for a breakfast cooked by Year 8 pupils at St Benedict’s College.

The event was part of Farmhouse Breakfast Week, organised by the Womens’ Food and Farming Union and the National Farmers’ Union.

Jean Fuller, from the women’s organisation, explained the campaign was all about using local produce to promote the nutritional benefits of breakfast.

She added: “We want to get the message across to young people eating breakfast is the best way to start the day. The children cooked a wonderful range of food – including eggs with soldiers for the soldiers.

“The troops told the children about the kind of breakfast they get in their rations when they are in the field and we had a couple of Korean War veterans who spoke about the food they got, which made an interesting contrast.”