IT is not only mines left over by recent conflicts that keep a Cambridgeshire company busy for in some parts the mines were left over from World War II.

Cambs Times: MP Sir Jim Paice's tour of Armtrac manufacturers of mechanical demining equipment for the clearance of mines and unexploded explosive ordnance.MP Sir Jim Paice meets Steve Brown MD.MP Sir Jim Paice's tour of Armtrac manufacturers of mechanical demining equipment for the clearance of mines and unexploded explosive ordnance.MP Sir Jim Paice meets Steve Brown MD. (Image: Archant)

MP Sir Jim Paice saw at first hand this week the work carried out by Armtrac in developing and commissioning the mine clearing equipment that saves lives across the world.

Cambs Times: MP Sir Jim Paice's tour of Armtrac manufacturers of mechanical demining equipment for the clearance of mines and unexploded explosive ordnance.MP Sir Jim Paice's tour of Armtrac manufacturers of mechanical demining equipment for the clearance of mines and unexploded explosive ordnance. (Image: Archant)

Armtrac of Burwell has designed and manufactured its own range of demining machines for the past 20 years and its equipment has been used in Albania, Angola, Bosnia, Croatia, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mozambique, Sudan, Northern Iraq as well as for the clearance of Ministry of Defence firing ranges in the United Kingdom.

Most recently it signed an agreement with the Egyptians for a second 400 mine clearing vehicle for removing mines left over on the country’s North West coast from the last world war.

It was one of the pieces of equipment Sir Jim, MP for SE Cambs, saw during his visit.

The Armtrac 400 can clear up to 24 000 square metres of ground an hour and can destroy 10 kg anti-tank mines without sustaining any major damage.

And it can also be operated remotely from a distance of 800 metres.

The MP met the man who founded Armtrac 20 years ago, managing director Stephen Brown, who showed him round the site.