TEN Army instructors have appeared before a court martial accused of abusing teenage recruits at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

The allegations including making victims eat animal manure, submerging their faces in mud and physically assaulting them.

Between them the ten face 23 charges ill-treatment and six of battery against 12 victims, all alleged to have taken place over nine days in June 2014.

All recruits aged between 16 years and 17 years and five months old when they join the Army start their training at the Harrogate centre.

The defendants spoke only to confirm their names and enter their not guilty pleas during a preliminary hearing at the court martial centre in Bulford, Wiltshire.

They were released on unconditional bail until their trial on February 12.

The ten are: Sergeant Simon Girault, 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, who is accused of four charges of battery and three of ill-treatment;

Staff Sergeant Brian Crawford, 152 (North Irish) Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, six charges of ill-treatment.

Sergeant Mark Graham, of the HQ Defence Food Services School, Royal Logistic Corps and Acting Sergeant Steven Duncan, of 1st Battalion Scots Guards; both face four charges of ill-treatment each.

Staff Sergeant Steven Harrison, 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery, and Sergeant Thomas Bryan, 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, both face one charge of battery and one of ill-treatment each.

Corporal Andrew Armitage, 156 Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, Acting Sergeant Daniel Royle, 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, Corporal Anthony Thomas, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment and Acting Sergeant Robert Comley, The Queen's Dragoon Guards, all face one charge of ill-treatment each.