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The Army still has twice as many horses as tanks - as Britain prepares to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, shock figures reveal.

Two centuries after Wellington defeated Napoleon in 1815 - and 99 years after Britain first used tanks in war - the military has more of the ceremonial horses than the armoured fighting vehicles.

Chief Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander first highlighted the number of horses in the Army two years ago, saying more defence cuts were justified because there were more horses than tanks.

But two years later - and with David Cameron under huge pressure to protect military spending - there are only nine fewer horses than in 2013.

The revelation will fuel mounting anger at the Prime Minister’s failure to commit to spending two per cent of national income on defence - a key Nato benchmark.

And it raises fears Britain will be unable to meet new threats from a resurgent Russia.

Tory Defence Minister Lord Astor admitted: “The Army currently has 485 horses, serving in the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Household Division and at the Defence Animal Centre.

“The total number of Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks is 227.”

poll loading What would you rather ride into battle? 0+ VOTES SO FAR A tank A horse

The Army’s horses play key roles in major ceremonial occasions such as Trooping the Colour, royal weddings and the State Opening of Parliament.

But many consider them a luxury compared when the UK’s armed forces have seen 20,000 soldiers shed from the Army, 5,000 sailors from the Navy and 5,000 servicemen and women from the RAF, while ships and squadrons of fighter jets have been scrapped.

Two years ago, Lib Dem Chief Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander suggested the number of Army horses could be reduced because of swingeing defence cuts.

But figures in March 2013 showed there were 494 military working horses maintained by the armed forces, compared with about 200 tanks.

Tory peer Lord Astor said another as well as the 227 main battle tanks, another 141 “Challenger variants are also in service”.

And the total does not include armoured troop carriers known as “infantry fighting vehicles”, he said in a written Commons answer.

The British Army first used tanks at the Battle of the Somme in 1916.