NANTWICH soldier Lieutenant Paul Raw has been getting on his bike to help keep the peace for the UN in divided Cyprus.

Paul, aged 27, is the Troop Commander for 19/5 Battery, 19 Regiment Royal Artillery, who are stationed with the UN as the peace keepers along the ceasefire line or Green Line.

He took inspiration from some Dutch troops who are serving with his regiment and started to patrol the UN Buffer Zone on mountain bikes.

The new policy has proved popular with everyone, soldiers can get to incidents more quickly and the locals see more of the troops as they can stay and talk to them.

The UN are trying to bring some normality to the buffer zone, allowing farmers and landowners to return for business purposes.

"There are 45,000 Turkish and Greek Cypriot troops stationed on either side of the Green Line and we are slap bang in the middle trying to carry out policing duties," said Paul.

"Some of our sector is quite rural and the obvious thing to do is cover the ground on bikes.

"My normal duties are commanding a light 105 mm gun, so it is a complete change of roles peace keeping for the UN. I must say at times the job is extremely challenging - but it is the way the army is going in the future."

Paul lives in Nantwich with his father Gordon and has been in Cyprus for less than two months as part of a six month tour.

He studied at Crewe and Alsager College before being commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1996. He returns in December and will rejoin his regiment in Colchester where they are garrisoned.

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