STAFF at a health centre have joined forces to improve conditions for troops still serving in Iraq.
Nearly 20 shoeboxes packed with items have found their way to the Middle East, courtesy of primary care staff in Darlington.
The parcels included several kinds of toiletries, sweets, chewing gum, coffee and wet-wipes.
Maureen Wallace, a clinical officer at Darlington Primary Care Trust's Parkgate surgery, said the mercy mission began when one of their staff nurses told them her husband was still in Iraq, weeks after the Second Gulf War had ended.
She said: "He is based at Catterick, but serving as a doctor in the Army.
"When we heard about the conditions over there, we decided to help.
"So our staff started collecting stuff and we sent it out in 1kg shoeboxes.
"The doctor then distributed them to the troops and we had a nice letter back saying how much they had all appreciated it."
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