AN Army officer cadet from Ilkley has been awarded the Queen's Commission after 11 months or arduous training.

Ian Walker, 23, has become a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) after marching up the steps of the Old College in front of proud family and friends as the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip took the salute for the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

2nd Lt Walker's training has not been all hard slog with expeditions to the USA, France and Spain to carry out adventure training.

He has also had the chance to gain practical experience with an attachment to a unit in Germany and is pictured here on the final exercise of the course in Cyprus.

2nd Lt Walker said: "The course has been challenging and tough, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it. The exercises and expeditions we have completed over the past year will now stand me in good stead as I take up my position in the REME and prepare to mobilise for an operational tour in Kosovo or Bosnia this September."

2nd Lt Walker was a pupil at Bradford Grammar School before continuing his education at Cambridge University, reading electrical engineering. (s)

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