A DURHAM solider is working in the desert as part of the Army's effort to provide healthcare to remote Kenyan villages.

Craftsman Stacy Firby, 20, a former pupil of Deerness Valley Comprehensive School, is serving as an aircraft technician with the British Army Medics on a six week tour in Kenya.

Ms Firby, whose parents live in New Brancepeth, has been keeping the mission's helicopters in the air. She said: "We have the helicopters out here as much for safety as for reconnaissance.

"Anything can go wrong out in the bush, with road accidents and people getting lost or stuck.

"We send the Gazelle helicopter up and sort them out."

Although southern Africa is heading towards winter, the soldiers have been working in temperatures of up to 40 degrees, and need to drink around eight litres of water a day.

Ms Firby said: "The conditions have been very tough to work in, but we always relax with a barbecue and watch the sun go down over Mount Kenya, so we can't complain. The Kenyans seem so grateful for the treatment the British Army is giving them, so we are trying to get to as many people as we can in the six weeks."