GLOBAL chef Michael Hickey is cooking up a treat for our troops in Kosovo.

Leigh Territorial Army chef, Sergeant Hickey is serving a six month tour of duty in the war torn country, helping feed those restoring peace.

Michael, 49, (pictured below), is serving with 2nd Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets, who are part of Britain's contribution to the NATO-led Kosovo Peace Implementation Force (KFOR).

Michael is the chef in the Royal Logistic Corps, working in the Battlegroup headquarters.

"We feed almost 200 soldiers and locals," he said.

"There are different problems here, one of them is trying to communicate with my workforce that includes ten Kosovar cleaners and two chefs.

"We also have to contend with power cuts, which means that the water goes off as well - difficult when you are in the middle of preparing a meal. "I am very impressed by the way the international community is trying to help restore normality to Kosovo, the UN police are a good example as well as the soldiers.

"I have worked in kitchens all over the world, I was in the Yemen as a civilian chef, so nothing here has really surprised or phased me.

"In my TA role I instruct young TA chefs and help prepare them for service with the Regular Army."

Michael, a security officer, is due to finish his tour of duty in March.

He is married to Sandra, and they have three children, Michael, 29, Alan, 27, and Pam, 22.

Intimidation and crime have been greatly reduced thanks to the efforts of the Green Jackets' regular patrols in the streets and high rise flats of the capital, Pristina.

The presence of the men in their bottle green beret reassures all sections of the community that law and order has returned to the city.

Elderly people, previously targets of gangs, welcome KFOR troops who have given them protection from the criminal elements.

The city, once a lawless no man's land, now has crime levels less than that of many major international cities, all thanks to the ceaseless day and night patrols of the British soldiers.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.