BRITISH troops in Iraq have vowed they will not be intimidated by lawless bandits thought to be responsible for two deaths in the Basra area over the past few days.

For 48 hours after the attack in which 29-year-old Queen's Lancashire Regiment officer Dai Jones lost his life, non-essential troop movements in the city were halted, particularly after dark.

Nevertheless, a Danish soldier, who had stopped a vehicle driven by suspected looters, was shot dead on Saturday night.

But yesterday, British commanders were adamant there was a better chance of avoiding further conflict if troops remained visible.

As a result, soldiers from the region - including 1,500 from Catterick Garrison alone - were back out in 130F heat, trying to restore power to southern Iraq, to improve the fuel supply, deal with security and try to combat smugglers who have found a market for bootleg petrol and any copper they salvage after tearing up the underground power lines.

Spokesman for the south-eastern Iraq Multi-National Division, Major Charlie Mayo, said Capt Jones, would not be forgotten by the men of the Catterick-based infantry regiment with whom he served.

However, he believed most soldiers would still be determined to see out their duties.

"Of course, it's sad when someone dies and morale will take a knock as a result, but I believe we are professional enough to realise not all Iraqis are to blame," said Major Mayo.

"It is true there appears to be a small minority who appear determined to do all they can to deprive ordinary people from living a dignified life in a free democracy.

"But we cannot be morose; to do so would be letting down your comrades, letting down your family and letting down your friends."

After losing a life, the Queen's Lancashire Regiment was involved in saving one yesterday.

A patrol investigating looting chased five men into a house in the Al Jubaylah area of the city where the group were arrested.

During a subsequent sweep of the property, the unit found a padlocked metal box which they forced open - but, rather than ammunition or guns, it contained a baby wrapped in a blanket.

At first, the soldiers - led by Darlington's Lieutenant Craig Rodgers -- thought the little girl was dead but she was still breathing and was given immediate first aid.

Once the mother was identified from among those found inside the house, she was also taken to hospital. It was unclear why the child had been locked in the box.

A cache of weapons, recovered from the same house, included rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, AK47 rifles, knives, bayonets and about one million Iraqi dinar.

Private Damien Kenny said: "We were expecting to find weapons hidden in the box so we couldn't believe it when we saw it was a baby girl. We thought she wouldn't recover until I felt her squeeze my finger."