A BURY soldier just back from Kosovo has given a first-hand account of the situation in the Balkans.

Lance Bombardier Mark Wilde (24) is on leave until next Friday and paid a flying visit to his home town this week.

An armoured personnel carrier driver, he is serving with 88 battery Royal Artillery attached to the King's Royal Hussars battle group, stationed in the former Yugoslavia.

Mark, who has been in the Army for more than four years, was mobilised to Macedonia at the beginning of March.

Normally stationed in Germany, the Brandlesholme lad will return there at the end of his tour of duty in about seven weeks' time.

He was part of the military vanguard which moved from Macedonia into Kosovo to begin official peace-keeping duties the first day after the recent capitulation of Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic.

Mark said: "Most of the Serb civilians have left now. It was our job to escort them and ensure safe passage; to make sure that nothing happened to them. There were one or two isolated incidents between them and the Kosovars." But he added that some of the older Serbs had refused to leave.

"They have lived in Kosovo all their lives and didn't want to go anywhere," explained Mark. "We can't force them to move. If they want to stay, they stay.

"It's a bit of a problem but it's up to them."

Since the move from Macedonia he has been camped in the sensitive northern border area of Kosovo at Podjevo, just four kilometres from Serbia.

Speaking during his two-week leave period, Mark said: "Our job is to show our strength, which acts as a deterrent, and to help local people as much as we can."

And he added: "As a United Nations peace-keeping force it is our job to try to make sure the people are not victimised. But there is only so much we can do."

Mark believes problems from snipers and landmines can be kept to a minimum.

"I am confident that we will be all right as long as everyone does his job," he said.

Mark lives in Germany with his wife Lorraine. She is from Basildon, Essex, and the couple were married there in August last year.

He was a pupil at St Joseph's in Whitefield when it became St Monica's High based at Prestwich. He also attended Holy Cross College in Bury.

Mark competed for Bury Athletic Club, training at the Market Street track before joining the Army.

Proud dad David said: "They are all doing a fine job. The conflict could have easily gone out of control with the whole of the Balkans going up.

"I don't think people realise that the situation could have escalated into a wider conflict."

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