AS the war with Iraq begins this week a clerk from Blackpool could be closer to the front line than any other British woman.

Corporal Dee Oldman, 30, is attached to 3 Para, says being attached to one of the Army's elite regiments helps relieve her apprehension at that daunting prospect.

"I do worry about what's going to happen, but so does everyone, to a certain extent, I think. Maybe because I am a women I am more likely to express my fears.

"Talking to the men about it helps me not to worry. They are superb professionals and you would trust them with your life.

"The Paras are just a big family really, and when I was first attached to them three years ago, I expected to get a lot of stick for being a women, because there aren't many of us around. There is a lot of banter, but you get used to that and give back as good as you get."

Cpl Oldman transferred on attachment from the Royal Logistics Corps, but though her role may be clerical, she has travelled with the Paras to hot-spots such as Bosnia, Northern Ireland and the Falklands in a seven-year career a million miles away from her former occupations of croupier and clothes shop proprietor.

"I did a number of civilian jobs and just kept getting bored with them and wanting to try something else," she says.

"I thought I'd try the Army because it might give me some stability."

Whether stability is quite the appropriate word for living under canvas in a smouldering desert dustbowl waiting to take part in one of the biggest British military actions since World War II is debatable.

But she has never regretted joining the Paras from the Royal Logistics Corps, where she has undergone all the same training as the men, save for the parachuting.

"My family back home were very concerned when I got told over Christmas that I'd be coming out here, especially about the threat of chemical weapons, but they don't have the same training as we have in how to deal with those situations. It certainly gives you reassurance.

"In a way the Regiment is another kind of family and you know that whatever happens, someone will be there looking after your back. When you talk to the guys one-to-one, they are not at all the macho types their reputation suggests.

"Underneath it all, they are big softies, really -- very in touch with their feminine side," she adds with a laugh.

The Iraqis may not see it the same way if war does come and 3 Para is called upon to fight as part of the 16th Air Assault Brigade.

Their job is to move fast, whether by parachute, helicopter drop or land assault and Cpl Oldman, as administrative assistant to the Battalion's adjutant, will move north too, along with the Btn HQ, led by Lieutenant Colonel John Lorimer.

In the event of war, one of Cpl Oldman's many duties would be the unenviable task of sending casualty report signals back to the Ministry of Defence in London, which in turn would be passed on to the families back home. It is one job which she hopes will never have to be performed.

WITH the crisis in Iraq changing every day there are many families in Lancashire with loved ones away in the region.

The thisislancashire web site is giving them and their families a chance to send messages and photos so they can keep in touch.

Using a simple form you can leave a message that people around the world can see, and if you send a digital photograph the site will be setting up a special page for them to be viewed.

The special Iraq section also contains the latest news, archive reports and interactive graphics.

And you can also ask Foreign Secretary Jack Straw a question about the situation, the chosen questions will then be forwarded to Mr Straw, and his answers featured on the site over the coming weeks.

To get to the Iraq pages of the site just click on the link from the front page of thisislancashire.co.uk.