Singers’ tonic for troops has wings clipped again

James Blunt and Katherine Jenkins have again been forced to cancel morale-boosting concerts for British troops in Afghanistan because of problems flying them to the warzone.

The award-winning singers were due to perform for services personnel this week, but a malfunctioning RAF Tristar transport aircraft left them stranded in Cyprus.

Former army officer Blunt, 38, revealed on Twitter that the stars were just half an hour from the main British base in Helmand province when their flight had to turn back because of a technical fault.

He wrote: “We have an air leak. It’s become very cold on the aircraft. Only 30 mins short of Camp Bastion, but we’re heading back to Cyprus.”

Jenkins tweeted: “Sadly we tried again [to get to Afghanistan] but it’s not going to happen. So sorry not to make it out to you but we really REALLY tried!”

A defence source said the military was “gutted” it could not get the entertainers to Helmand and said the fault also meant delays for some members of the armed forces returning home on leave.

The singers also had to abandon a trip to entertain the troops at Christmas 2010.