See how many teens could be called up for National Service in Blackpool, Preston, South Ribble and wider Lancs

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to have the controversial scheme fully in place by 2029-30, if the Conservatives are re-elected on July 4.

All 18-year-olds will be legally required to serve for 12 months in the armed forces or give up the equivalent of one weekend a month to volunteer in their community.

It would be the first generation of British teenagers forced into national service since the scheme was abolished in 1960.

They are currently aged around 13-years-old - but in five years’ time, nearly 20,000 of them will be conscripted from cities, towns and villages around Lancashire.

19,000 teenagers face call-up in Lancashire

According to population estimates there will be around 830,000 18-year-olds in the UK eligible for national service by 2029 - including 19,161 in Lancashire.

Blackburn with Darwen would see the highest number enlisted - with 2,404 teenagers to be eligible for national service from 2029. This accounts for 1.54 per cent of the local population.

Preston would follow in second place with 1,920 teenagers called up - 1.27 per cent of the city’s population.

Next is Lancaster with 1,594 teenagers turning 18 in 2029 - 1.10 per cent of its population, followed by Blackpool with 1,545 teenagers on its books (1.09 per cent of the resort’s residents).

Another 1,249 teenagers would be eligible in the Wyre district (Poulton, Cleveleys, Fleetwood, Garstang, Preesall, Thornton), and a further 885 in Fylde (St Annes, Lytham, Kirkham, Wesham).

Chorley is expected to have a total of 1,454 people eligible for national service (1.23 per cent), while neighbouring South Ribble is projected to have 1,326 eligible 18-year-olds, around 1.18 per cent of the borough’s population.

Thousands more would hail from Burnley (1,256), Rossendale (937) and the districts of Pendle (1,410) and Hyndburn (1,122).

West Lancashire would also see 1,354 eligible teenagers pack their bags for 12 months military service or complete one weekend of volunteer work each month for a year.

Why does Rishi Sunak want to bring back National Service?

Defending his plan for the return of mandatory National Service, the Prime Minister said: "It’s going to foster a culture of service which is going to be incredibly powerful for making our society more cohesive and in a more uncertain and dangerous world it’s going to strengthen our country’s security and resilience."

“A Teenage Dad’s Army?”

Critics from across the political divide have dismissed the plans as unserious while leading military figures expressed skepticism about how they would work and suggested the money would be better spent on armed forces investment.

Labour leader Keir Starmer dismissed the policy as "desperate" and joked that it would create a "teenage Dad’s Army".

Under the scheme, around 30,000 full-time military placements will be on offer, with the vast majority of 18-year-olds expected to do the compulsory community roles instead, working with organisations such as charities, the NHS, police or fire services.