TERRITORIAL army medics from East Lancashire are set for Afghanistan where they will run a vital field hospital.

Part-time troops from Blackburn, Darwen, Nelson and Rossendale will be posted to Camp Bastion, in Helmand Province, from Monday.

The 55 volunteers are part of the 207 (Manchester) Field Hospital detachment, which has a training base at the Canterbury Street barracks in Blackburn.

For the next three months the British Military Hospital will be run by Lancashire GP Colonel Robin Jackson, as part of Operation Herrick.

The roles of those heading out to the war-torn area include everything from consultants, doctors and nurses to ancilliary staff such as cooks, drivers and clerks.

Each of the East Lancshire recruits already holds down a full-time NHS, civilian or government posts.

Col Jackson said: “I am tremendously proud of the hard work and dedication my soldiers have put in to make certain that they can maintain the high standard of medical care that our servicemen and women deserve.

“They will have the best and most modern equipment, and no effort will be spared to give our troops first-class treatment.

“When my staff return to their jobs, they will be able to pass on the benefit of their experience to help all patients in the north west.”

The winter tour will be the second fullscale involvement in the ongoing conflict for the 207 unit, following their role in running the same hospital in Iraq in 2004.

The hospital unit will be joined by 50 other volunteers from across the North West.

All have been going intensive training in advance of their deployment.