THE reputation of Tidworth based 1PWRR as ace snipers seems to have spread far and wide and reached one of the world's leading fighting units.

This was apparent when snipers of the legendary French Foreign Legion, currently serving in Kosovo travelled to Pristina, the main town in the troubled Serbian province.

"They had travelled to request that Sgt Maj Mark Spicer be released to train them in this most demanding of skills," said a PWRR spokesman. "Sgt Maj Spicer has recently released a best-selling book on this secretive subject and the Legionnaires, having heard that he was in Kosovo, sought out his experience to improve their own snipers skills."

After several visits from the French, Sgt Maj Spicer, who is a Hampshire born and bred soldier, travelled up the French barracks and ran the first of several training packages for the Tigers' allies in Kosovo.

The French Army has recently decided to raise the level of their sniper's skills to that of the British Army, and with an expert just down the road, it was too good an opportunity for the Foreign Legion to miss.

Sgt Maj Spicer took Cpl Paul Bath, another sniper and Hampshire born Tiger, Lance Corporal Williamson, and Lance Corporal O'Connor along to assist in the French snipers training.

"Both men were very well treated by the men of the Foreign Legion, and have established a strong professional link with them and formed some very good personal friendships," said the spokesman.

The French have requested that Sgt Maj Spicer be allowed to travel to their home base location in Neims in the New Year to run a full sniper course for their unit.