Former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Richards has endorsed Donald Trump for the White House, claiming the controversial Republican will make the world safer.

The ex-head of the British Army rubbished claims Mr Trump's bombastic interventions on foreign policy would undermine Nato and threaten security.

Instead, he insisted non-state actors like ISIS were the biggest danger facing the world and praised Mr Trump's 'instinct' for working with Russian President Vladimir Putin to tackle the terror group.

Lord Richards claimed Hillary Clinton's backing for a no-fly zone in Syria risked plunging America into direct conflict with the Russians for the first time ever.

Former head of the Army Lord Richards has endorsed Donald Trump for the White House, claiming the controversial Republican will make the world safer

Speaking to The House magazine, Lord Richards said: 'It's non-state actors like Isis that are the biggest threat to our security.

'If countries and states could coalesce better to deal with these people – and I think Trump's instinct is to go down that route – then I think there's the case for saying that the world certainly won't be any less safe.

'It's that lack of understanding and empathy with each other as big power players that is a risk to us all at the moment.

'Therefore I think he would reinvigorate big power relationships, which might make the world ironically safer.'

The former general added: 'I'm a bit sorry they're the best candidates that can be put up in a country as great and as huge and powerful as America.

'I think he is wise enough to get good people round him and probably knows that he's got to listen to them, and therefore I think we should not automatically think it will be less safe.'

Turning to the Democratic rival for the White House, Lord Richards told the magazine: 'Unless she's prepared to do this properly and go to war with Russia, she shouldn't talk about no-fly zones and nor should we.

'We would have to shoot down Russian aircraft in order to impose it. Do we really want to go to a shooting war over Aleppo?'

Donald Trump is 'wise enough' to surround himself with the right advisers and build relationships with major powers, such as Vladimir Putin

He added: 'The alternative is for the West to declare a no-fly zone and that means you've got to be prepared to go to war with Russia ultimately.

'I see no appetite for that and nor, frankly, do I see much sense in it. It sticks in my throat to say it because I have no love for Assad.'

Lord Richards said it was right to focus on the humanitarian situation in Syria and abandon efforts to remove President Bashar Assad - despite his use of chemical weapons.

He said: 'The only quick way of solving it is to allow Assad to win. There's no way the opposition groups are going to win.'