A FRONTline soldier from York is taking Vikings into the fight against the Taliban.

Lance-Corporal Dean Walker, 21, who serves with the Royal Marines, is back in war torn Helmand Province, in the south of Afghanistan.

He is driving the Viking all-terrain vehicle, in his second tour of duty in the country.

L-Cpl Walker, who is also trained to fire the guns in the vehicle's turret, said the Viking was vital to the campaign in Afghanistan.

He said: "The Viking opens up a lot more operations. We can move where, with and who we want. The battlefield is a fast moving place, and the Viking is capable of keeping the enemy on the back foot."

Major Jez Stemp, officer commanding the Royal Marine Armoured Support Company, said the Viking's armoured shell offered a high degree of protection, and their tracked wheels meant they can go to places most other vehicles cannot.

Major Stemp said: "They are phenomenal. Their greatest asset is their all-terrain mobility.

"The Taliban tend to mine known routes, but the Vikings can manoeuvre around them and go off road.

"The flip side is its high demand across the task force, so the guys are in constant use and the tempo of activity is high."

The Vikings are used to carry troops into Helmand's more inaccessible terrain, and as ambulances to withdraw casualties from such areas.

L-Cpl Walker said: "They are extremely good for rocking up and scaring the Taliban. They really don't like it."

Meanwhile, Brigadier David Maddan, the Army's new commander for Yorkshire and the north-east, will be undertaking his first official engagement today.

Brig Maddan will escort Lord Crathorne, the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, during a 21-gun salute in York's Museum Gardens to mark the anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the event which begins at 11.45am.

The guns will be fired at noon and there will also be music from the Light Cavalry Band.

York was granted the right to hold Royal salutes in 1971 - the 1,900th anniversary of the city.