By Ethan Evans

Copyright dailyrecord

Hundreds of British Army personnel were affected by a major military blunder that saw them sent on the wrong training course. Junior soldiers, who were three weeks into their basic training at the Army Foundation College near Harrogate in North Yorkshire, were informed of the error earlier this week. A total of around 210 recruits joining the Parachute Regiment were impacted, with many moving on from the short to the long course. It comes after reports the Loch Ness Monster may have been caught by the Royal Navy during World War Two, according to extraordinary new evidence . Some of the teenagers now face the length of their phase one training extending considerably, with reports claiming it has doubled from 20 weeks to about 40 weeks. Lieutenant Colonel Jules Russell, commanding officer at the college, sent a letter to parents where they admitted the mistake may cause anxiety amongst the new recruits. “Some of the junior soldiers who arrived at the Army Foundation College Harrogate in September are not on the course they were expecting to be on,” he wrote. “We run both a long course (approx. 40 weeks) and short course (approx. 20 weeks) at AFC(H), with junior soldiers loaded according to the cap badge or trade they have chosen. “However, an error has occurred, so that some junior soldiers have been loaded onto the wrong course.” Russell added: “We are aware of the potential for this situation to cause some anxiety for your junior soldiers, so I would like to reassure you that I remain committed to ensuring the physical and psychological safety of all the junior soldiers under my command.” The Ministry of Defence states the 210 junior soldiers affected will now be moved between courses, and Russell reassured: “Whether moving or not, it will not impact their chances of completing the course successfully.” A source told the i Paper the error occurred after the army failed to inform outsource firm Capita about a change in requirements for the recruits. They explained: “It was the army not communicating with Capita that their needs had changed, effectively.” Former head of the British Army, Lord Dannatt told the i: “This is a most unfortunate administrative mistake. “It should not have happened and someone will get a wrap over the knuckles. More importantly, all the junior soldiers should now be moved onto their correct courses, if that has not already happened.” Harrogate is the military training unit for British Army recruits aged between 16 and 17 where on top of military skills they can finish their school education at the school, with GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English or equivalent qualifications on offer.