When Captain Frank Robinson was summoned to his commanding officer at noon, he was looking forward to a quiet day and a regimental dinner.

Two hours later he was aboard a plane full of paratroopers heading for one of the world's most dangerous hot-spots, ready to face gun-toting rebels trying to overthrow the government.

But for the 24-year-old former Bradford Grammar School pupil, being sent to Sierra Leone was all in a day's work.

Capt Robinson, who serves with the Royal Horse Artillery, was part of the first wave of British troops sent to the West African country last month to help usher journalists and TV news crews around the danger zone so they could file their stories home safely.

He said: "On the plane no one knew what to expect. It all kicked off quickly and no one was really sure what we'd be facing.

"A lot of the Paras had told their wives they would be home for lunch - and then suddenly they're away on a mission for three weeks."

The first task when the plane touched down at Lungi, about 20 miles from Sierra Leone's capital Freetown, was to secure the airport, a vital escape route should the 500 British citizens in the country need to flee.

While the Paras were stamping their authority on the area, Capt Robinson was trying to keep the media pack, including Kate Adie and ITN's Terry Lloyd, alive.

He said: "Ever since the Gulf War the army has had a core of people who train in media relations. But to make the numbers up they draft in people like me to take the journalists around and keep them out of trouble.

"You don't feel like it's that dangerous at the time because you're doing a job. Being surrounded by about 800 Paras helps as well!"

The most dangerous situation to flare during Capt Robinson's four weeks was when the rebel Revolutionary United Front attacked the small town of Lungi Loi, near the airport.

He said: "The RUF tried it on with some UN troops who had just laid down their weapons. So about 40 rebels thought they would try it on with us and attacked Lungi Loi.

"But there was a Pathfinder squadron there, who are second only to the SAS, and they sent them packing. So they didn't trouble us again."

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