SOLDIERS from York and North Yorkshire are in Sierra Leone with the 1st Battalion The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire, training the country's army in a bid to bring peace after years of civil war. Tony Tierney visited their jungle training camp

The Stallion Battalion, as 1PWO is self-dubbed because of its proudly-sported White Horse cap badge, has had its work cut out in Sierra Leone.

Operating out of Benguema Training Camp - a tented encampment which sits flanked by jungle-covered hillsides roughly 50km outside the capital Freetown - the Yorkies have had six weeks to teach about 1,500 Sierra Leone Army (SLA) soldiers the fighting skills of the world's most professional army.

Their work has put the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) - who have seized the country's essential diamond mines - on the back foot and is helping to bring them to the negotiating table convinced they cannot win the war.

The SLA, where women soldiers fight alongside men, is a mixed bag of abilities but enthusiasm levels are sky high.

"They are just so keen to learn," said Sergeant Major Neil Bulmer, from Clifton, as he taught tactics to SLA commanders at nearby Newton Battle Camp.

"It has certainly been a test of my instructional techniques, but they have come on an awful lot and that's very satisfying."

On the shooting ranges near Benguema, SLA recruits are learning that their preferred technique of holding a weapon above their heads and spraying bullets wildly into the jungle is not the best way to win the firefight.

"The Royal Irish (a previous British Army training team) said we wouldn't be able to get them to aim or hit a target, but they can shoot well now," said Sergeant Darren Farmery, 33, from Huntington, York.

"We set out to improve them by ten per cent but we have gone far beyond that."

1PWO's highly visible presence on heavily-armed Wolf Land Rover patrols through the surrounding area has been helping to spread confidence through previously shattered communities.

RUF atrocities have included amputating people's hands - apparently a response to a government pro-voting campaign, which told people "The future is in your hands". No hands, no votes, the RUF's twisted thinking went.

As the patrols roll, clouds of rust-coloured dust come billowing up from the dirt roads, coating the vehicles and leaving their occupants bright orange.

On one is Private Ray Brown, 21, from Bishopthorpe Road, York. His dad, David, is the park keeper at Rowntree Park.

He said: "This is completely different from anything I've done before. The people here are very friendly and genuine and they really want you here."

These patrols also allow low-level intelligence gathering, with members of the Civil Defence Force (CDF) - an armed, but untrained, civilian militia - passing on information about any rebel activity.

Leading one patrol is Sergeant Phil Eastwood, 31, from Strensall, whose parents, Rex Eastwood and Brydy Brayne, are retired farmers.

He said: "The situation is very similar to Bosnia but here the troubles have died down. It's a lot quieter than I first expected."

As part of 1PWO's security company, which is commanded by Pocklington School old boy Major Tom Wagstaff, Sgt Eastwood's main role is to help protect the training team at Benguema.

"We are also reassuring the general populous that the area is clear of RUF and they can return to normal life," he said.

In the village of Joetown, we meet Commander Snake, a CDF leader who says he commands about 5,000 men.

The 27-year-old, like his followers, is a strong believer in juju magic. His colourful battlefield costume features a mirror talisman, which he believes will fend off bullets.

Helping to look after the health of the British soldiers at Benguema is Medical Sergeant Tim Midgeley, 35, whose parents, Robin and Pat, farm in Wigginton, and whose wife, Michelle, lives in Strensall.

Sergeant Midgeley, who is a crack shot and runs regular shoots at Chipchase Farm, in Wigginton, said: "It's been a really interesting experience. We have trained over 1,000 SLA soldiers in basic first-aid and they seemed to grasp it. We have also had the chance to see some tropical illnesses among their soldiers, which was interesting."

The men of 1PWO are due to fly back to their base at Chester on Tuesday, heartened by the solid SLA soldiers they have left behind - with a decent tan for Christmas.