Hunt on for navy files

Detectives from the Black Country were today hunting for a stolen Ministry of Defence laptop containing sensitive details of up to 600,000 military personnel.

The Royal Navy officer's computer, containing information on people who had joined the Royal Navy, Marines and Air Force, was taken from a car park in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Passport details, National Insurance numbers, drivers' licence details, family details, doctors' addresses and NHS numbers were all stored on its hard drive.

Details of people who had expressed an interest in joining up were included.

Detectives from the West Midlands Police major investigation unit based at Bloxwich were today trying to trace the computer.

Some 3,500 people whose bank details were on the database are being contacted.

The MoD said Defence Secretary Des Browne would make a statement "at the earliest opportunity".

It also said the theft - which happened overnight on January 9 to 10 - was not made public immediately after consultation with West Midlands Police.

It is the latest data-loss scandal to hit the Government. Call the MIU at Bloxwich on 0845 113 5000.

By Crime Correspondent Mike Woods