Clare Wray is a radiographer in a hospital by day - but one night a week she becomes Captain Wray of the Territorial Army's (TA) Army Medical Services in Bradford.

Second in command at C Squadron 212 Field Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps in Bradford, she uses her clinical and soldier skills to benefit the TA which she joined in 1999.

Miss Wray, 31, who used to work at hospitals in Bradford but now works at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, said fitting in her TA life with her working life was not difficult.

She said: "The NHS is very enthusiastic and supportive of the TA and it has really benefited my clinical skills," she said. "The TA is full of like-minded, outstanding people and one of the best things I have gained is learning all about team work and developing my leadership skills." She has had two tours in Iraq as part of Operation Telic 1. It was, she said, one of the hardest and best experiences of her life.

She was first in Iraq in March 2003 for six months and, spent a further five months there last year. During that time she learned how to deal with everything from blast injuries and gunshot wounds to more run-of-the-mill injuries and illnesses, while at the same time coping with missile attacks only a few kilometres from the field hospital.

"It tested everything I had learned," she said. "It really built up my confidence. The TA has changed me as a person."

Miss Wray was also responsible for setting up the Army's first field CT scanner at a base near Basra.

Her knowledge as a radiographer came into its own when the scanner arrived at the field hospital at the Shaibah logistics base and she was able to get it up and running.

"It meant we could find out what was going wrong with someone within the golden hour," she said. "Previously patients had to be transferred out to a ship in the Gulf or to Kuwait, putting more lives at risk."

She added: "The TA is a brilliant experience and I'd urge anyone who wants to find out more about life in the TA to come down to our events on April 4 and find out more."

The squadron will be hosting an open evening for any interested person in a profession allied to medicine on Tuesday, April 4, at Belle Vue Barracks in Manningham Lane, Bradford, from 7.30pm until 9pm.

The squadron is looking for a minimum health qualification of health care assistant with NVQ level two. Any doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, anaesthetists, laboratory and theatre technicians and other health professionals are welcome to attend.

Anyone who wants further information should call (01274) 722129.