Restoring the power and water supplies could be a vital link in the chain which could lead to a lasting peace in Iraq.

Reporter Steve Parsley and photographer Stuart Boulton report from Basra where North troops are working on solutions.

IT is 10pm on Wednesday and, once again, the power has just gone off across Basra.

Even though it is late, the temperatures outside are still above 100C and with air conditioning silenced by the failure of the electricity supply, slowly the heat seeps into every building.

Until recently, this was part of everyday life in the city.

Looters tearing up power cables to get at copper to sell on the black market did so much damage that even the oil refineries had to shut down, which meant less fuel reached the petrol stations.

And even though they have endured much worse under Saddam's regime, the combination of an intermittent power supply and a fuel shortage was enough to spark the riots which kept British troops busy last weekend.

Although negotiations have led to a semblance of normality since, violent disorder is still something Iraqis are getting used to.

British soldiers have stones and bricks thrown at them every day, although it is usually by gangs of children rather than angry mobs.

If it is to stop, the Army is aware it needs to do all it can to achieve the same sort of success with electricity and water supplies as it has managed with the fuel, something they achieved simply by escorting tankers to their destinations.

And, as is so often the case when something needs building, maintaining or repairing, the task falls to the Royal Engineers.

Ripon's 38 Engineer Regiment arrived in the Gulf from North Yorkshire in June and set about building camps British troops would use to acclimatise in Kuwait.

It then moved across the border to do the same in Iraq, although, this time, the bases would need fortifications to protect soldiers against mortar and grenade attacks.

And once the British troops' needs were dealt with, the engineers were able to commit some of their members to projects which could make life easier for everyone in the city.

Pontoon bridges went up to cut journey times between east and west Basra, and several of what the Army describes as quick impact projects were devised to help the locals help themselves.

Iraqi labour was engaged to build clinics, schools and orphanages in the poorest parts of the city, while work was done on repairing the water supply network.

But post-war Iraq is a country of contradictions. The majority of its people may wave happily as the British patrols go by, but will still complain they should be doing more to help them.

The people know about the looters and the consequences of a black market but, conditioned by decades of brutal dictatorship, will do little or nothing to stop it.

To them, the solution lies with the authority of the day and, at the moment, the burden of leadership has been transferred to the Coalition Forces.

One Royal Engineer said: "I was speaking to an Iraqi the other day who really could not understand why we do not just shoot the looters rather than arrest them.

"In his view, we could sort out the problem just by sticking a few armoured personnel carriers on the street corners and blasting anyone we caught thieving.

"He reckoned we would only have to shoot 20 people for the looting to stop.

"It sounds extreme to us and I had to explain it is not the way we do things."

In the meantime, the bricks and stones keep coming.

However, there is a glimmer of hope. Out in the southern desert, Sapper Chris Smith, from Northallerton, is part of a team from 38 Engineer Regiment helping the Iraqis to put the finishing touches to repaired power lines. Dozens still litter the desert floor, but it is a start.

He said: "The men we have been working with are no problem. There was a bit of a language barrier to start with, but we get by.

"We have had some great arguments with them about the war and they have started bringing us traditional dishes to try, which are really nice."

Of course, there are no guarantees that the restored lines will stay in place once the soldiers move on but, with Iraqi television persuaded to film the project, there is a chance word will spread that the British Army is doing much more than enforcing order.

And, if Iraqis can be persuaded partnerships are in their interests, the more chance there is that the power will stay on.

And, the longer the power stays on, the better chance there is that the local population will start to focus on a lasting solution.

* Read more from Basra in tomorrow's Northern Echo