SOLDIERS from East Lancashire on peace-keeping duties in Iraq are remaining "upbeat" despite the deaths of six British troops in an ambush.

Capt John Ainley, of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, currently in Basra, said despite the attack which had greatly saddened the troops, morale was still high and the soldiers had established good relations with the Iraqis.

"We obviously express our condolences to the families of those soldiers who were killed or injured," he said. "This happened around 100 miles to the north of our position and is seen to be an isolated incident.

"The QLR's mission and tasks have not changed and we are still patrolling in berets, and forming good relations with the people of Basra."

The regiment took over this week the job of re-establishing law and order and trying to maintain calm.

The four-month tour involves humanitarian and peace-keeping tasks such as patrolling areas, manning checkpoints and distributing aid.

Capt Ainley said the troops' period of acclimatisation, not least to temperatures in the mid-40s C, had gone well and the unit was looking forward to getting on with its work.

He said: "We have started the patrolling and the humanitarian aid and if the rest of the tour continues as the first week has, then it should be very successful."

The deaths of the six soldiers represented the heaviest single combat loss for British forces since the 1991 Gulf War. The killings take the British death toll since the war began in March to 43.