A TOP Tory wants to see a pioneering scheme started in Warrington rolled out across the country to let armed forces staff use their ID for proof of age.

Dr Liam Fox, shadow defence secretary, met with Warrington South Conservative Parliamentary candidate David Mowat and Lance Reah from Latchford who fought to get the Armed Forces Identity Cards recognised as official proof of age.

As reported previously, his 18-year-old son Thomas was turned away from the town’s bars – despite having the card.

“You can die for your country but can’t have a drink in it,” said Dr Fox.

“It shouldn’t be acceptable in a country when that is happening.

“The five years I worked as a doctor with the Army taught me that our personnel are our greatest weapon but if we decide to create unhappy personnel we create unhappy parents.”

Mr Reah took up the campaign to get the identity cards recognised after his son, a Coldstream Guardsman who had just completed a gruelling 450-mile march for charity, was refused entry to bars on a short trip back home before he headed out to serve in Afghanistan.

Soldiers are required to keep their passports at their barracks so on visits home they only have their Armed Forces Identity Card as proof of age.

Dr Fox added: “Issues that might be unimportant to majors can be the straw that break the camel’s back for service personnel.

“A bit of common sense and a good bit of passion can make things happen.”

Mr Reah contacted Warrington Borough Council and within a matter of weeks it had issued a new notice to all licensed premises to accept the Armed Forces Identity Card as proof of age.

“It is wonderful that it’s been sorted out here but it’s totally unacceptable that this is not sorted out nationally,” said Dr Fox.

He added that if the Conservatives won the next election they would bring in the changes nationally – even if it meant that policy changes needed to take place with enforcable penalties for non compliance.