UK troops in Afghanistan get extra Christmas phone time

It is hoped the extra Christmas phone time will boost morale

Troops in Afghanistan will get an extra hour of free talk time at Christmas, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

Armed services personnel who are away from home on operations have 30 minutes of phone calls paid for per week.
An extra half hour from the MoD will be available from 20 December and the time from phone operator Paradigm will be added to entitlements on 27 December.
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said he was delighted by the move, which is a "small way" to thank the armed forces.
"Free telephone minutes mean our Forces can talk to their loved ones back home when they are in Afghanistan - that's why we increased the allowance two years ago," he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Flt Lt Andy Wilson, who is responsible for managing welfare communications.
Flt Lt Wilson said Christmas can be "a difficult time for the troops and their families" and expressed a hope that the extra time "goes some way in making this separation a little easier".
"Communication is vital to the morale of our personnel and the wellbeing of their loved ones at home, especially around this time of year," he said.
Keith Norton of Paradigm, the company which provides communications with home for deployed personnel, said the firm was "proud to support British troops".
Troops also have unlimited access to the internet and are able to email their loved ones.