A Bradford businesswoman, who appeared on television show Survivor!, is making the ultimate war protest - by acting as a human shield in Iraq.

Today Uzma Bashir Sheikh's family spoke of their pride at her actions but also expressed fears for her safety in the coming weeks.

Uzma, 32, decided last week that she should join the hundreds of anti-war campaigners and flew to Jordan en route for Iraq on Friday.

Her sister Ruby Durrani said Uzma, who is the youngest of six children, was a very determined character.

"We are obviously very proud of her but we are really worried too. It is inevitable there is going to be war but Uzma was determined," said Mrs Durrani, of Leeds.

"Initially she went to the anti-war marches but I think things snowballed from that and suddenly she was going abroad herself. It is the ultimate anti-war protest. She just said she couldn't sit by and let things happen."

Uzma, who owns the Little Monsters Kindergarten in Simes Street, Bradford, made a splash on ITV reality show Survivor! in May 2001, eating bugs and surviving on rations.

She now lives in Hertfordshire with her mother and works as a lecturer.

Meanwhile, Bradford pensioner Karl Dallas, another member of the human shield who arrived in Baghdad last week, said life for Iraqis was continuing as normal despite the imminent threat of war.

The 72-year-old, of Manningham, has already spent a night at a power station and plans to visit a communications centre in the near future.

"The amazing thing is that despite the threat of war, life is going on as normal," he said. "The Iraqi people are acting like there is no threat of war.

"The important thing is that we can go and do whatever we want. We are communicating with people with big smiles and peace signs.

"Wherever we go in the buses people honk their horns and cheer and wave."

He said about 200 people had arrived to take part in the Human Shield Mission. They were concentrating on places which are part of the country's essential infrastructure, such as power plants, a water filtration plant, a food storage centre and a communications centre.

"It is us who decide where we are going," he said.