Territorial soldiers from Keighley are about to go on a tour of duty in southern Iraq.

They have almost completed two weeks of intensive acclimatisation and specialised training for the months ahead.

The soldiers from the Keighley Platoon of Yypres (Duke of Wellington's Regiment) Company are among 30 soldiers drawn from the region's Territorial East and West Riding Regiment who arrived in the "theatre of operations" just over a week ago.

In a special report to the Keighley News they have told of life working in temperatures of 50 degrees centigrade.

They say the message is rammed home to them of the need to drink and drink plenty. They can expect to be downing between 8-10 litres of water a day, that's about the same as a family multi-pack off a supermarket shelf!

Maintaining a healthy diet is also important so as to replace essential salts and minerals that are continually washed from the system.

Lieutenant Jason Hunt, Keighley's platoon commander, said of the heat: "I've served in Egypt and thought that was pretty hot, but it's not a patch on the temperatures out here".

He added: "My first thought in this job is the care of my men and so I shall be moving between the three sections in their different locations making sure no one is suffering in the heat".

Once fully acclimatised, the soldiers will take up a full raft of duties, including patrolling both in vehicles and on foot, along with manning vehicle checkpoints (VCPs).

One of the most eagerly anticipated tasks will be the mounting of Eagle VCPs. As such, helicopter borne sections will swoop down on suspect vehicles in pursuit of looters and the illegal oil trade.

Private Mark Short, of Oakworth, 23, said: "I'm very much looking forward to the task ahead. I got my call up papers two weeks before coming out here and was pleased. It's what I joined the TA for. I've been into Az Zubayr and it's a bit of a shanty town, but it's what I expected".

Preparing for their operational tour of duty are, from left, Private Mark Short, Lieutenant Jason Hunt, Private Matthew Hastings, Lance Corporals Paul Bradwell, Kev Cook and Phil Lythe. The six are pictured here beside one of the Land Rovers they will use to go out on patrols across southern Iraq.