A SENIOR Aircraftman has received the General Service Medal Air Ops Iraq as recognition for his work while on a four-month detachment at Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait.

The award was presented to Anthony Hughes, 27, who is originally from Stirling Street, Blackburn and is a former pupil of St Bede's Roman Catholic School. The order was endowed by air commodore, Malcolm Fuller.

Anthony joined the Royal Air Force four years ago and is an assistant air traffic controller at the Scottish air traffic control centre.

While in the Gulf he was a mission planner for RAF aircraft flying combat patrols over Kuwait and Southern Iraq. Tony said: "I really enjoyed my time in Kuwait, although it was hard work I gained a lot of satisfaction from supporting our pilots in one of the world's most volatile regions."