A Bradford brother and sister will spend Christmas preparing to serve in Afghanistan.

Territorial Army engineers Jeoffrey and Zoe Knipe will head to the devastated country in January.

Zoe, 27, and Jeoffrey, 28, said they have not been put off by the troubles in the region and will join Army regulars to construct a desert base.

The pair, of Stonegate Road, Thorpe Edge, who serve with 106 Field Squadron Royal Engineers based at Belle Vue Barracks in Manningham Lane, have had front-line military training for the posting.

Jeoffrey, who has been with the TA for 18 months, will be located 160 miles from the capital, Kabul.

He said: "It's always something I wanted to do. I did not join earlier because I did not think I could hack it, but I have got more disciplined. I left my job as a window manufacturer so I could do the training."

He was inspired to join by Zoe, who has served with the TA for two-and-a-half years.

Talking about the mission, he said: "I wanted to go there and do a useful job. I have pictures of my family and will keep looking at them. I just really want to get out there."

His father Ian, 51, who served in the Army in Northern Ireland and Cyprus, said he was worried for their safety.

His brother, also called Jeoffrey, died in 1972, aged 28, on a peace-keeping operation in Northern Ireland after stones and bricks were thrown at him.

Mr Knipe said: "It is worrying, but I know they are with a good force. You just have to get on with the job."

Zoe will be at the main base at Kabul, supplying materials to Jeoffrey's team at the camp site.

Jeoffrey said: "I don't know if it's a good or bad thing that Zoe will be there. I won't get to see her."