FIVE soldiers of the locally-recruited Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment have been wounded in escalating violence in Iraq.

One man suffered serious injuries and was being flown home today for emergency treatment at a British hospital. The Ministry of Defence would not confirm whether his condition is life-threatening.

He was the victim of a roadside bomb that detonated on Sunday, destroying the Land Rover he was travelling in near the town of Al Almarah.

Two more soldiers suffered more minor injuries in the same incident and were treated in Iraq where they remain.

Two other soldiers were returning to the UK today with injuries sustained during fighting in Al Almarah, an hour and a half north west of Basra, on Saturday night.

Members of a PWRR platoon attached to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, they suffered gunshot injuries - one to the arm and the other to the leg.

It is not known who carried out the attacks, which occurred as they were travelling with the Iraqi Civil Defence Corps.

MoD spokesman Paul Beard says the families of the men, two of whom live in Kent, have been made aware, but the soldiers’ names are not being released.

None of the injured men are members of the Territorial Army.

Mr Beard strenuously denied reports that commanding officer of the Canterbury-based Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Lt Col Jonny Gray, has been injured in fighting.

The BBC’s news website reported on Sunday that Lt Col Gray suffered serious injuries when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, and was flown back to the UK for emergency surgery.

Mr Bead said: “I don’t know where they got that from. It is absolute rubbish. Lt Col Gray is alive and well in Iraq. He has not been injured at all.”

The MoD confirmed the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and a PWRR platoon attached to it are expected to come home in mid July.

It is expected the PWRR could replace the Highlanders in Iraq.