THE second Gulf War has ended early for an Army medic from York, after he was rushed out of Iraq suffering pneumonia.

Sergeant Giles Farrington was taken to a Greek-based RAF hospital and is now back in England after coming down with the illness before the first bullet was fired.

Sgt Farrington, who served in the first Gulf War, as well as in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Kosovo, is based with 33 Field Hospital at Northallerton.

Because of the 30-year-old's experience, staff at the field hospital spent 11 days trying to revive him before "medvacing" him to Greece.

Sgt Farrington said: "I was really annoyed about what happened, especially as I hadn't even done a day's work. I had a good experience of the medical system and have been very well cared for, both on the aeroplane and this ward. It's good to know that, God forbid, those troops who are injured, will receive a high standard of care."

Sgt Farrington said he was looking forward to seeing his wife, Annette, who works as a PA at York Hospital, and his two-year-old son, Euan, a lot sooner than expected.

Updated: 10:43 Saturday, March 29, 2003