THE Gulf War Veterans Association is being flooded with calls from former combatants reliving their nightmares of conflict.

For many, post traumatic stress has been triggered by news coverage of the war.

The Newcastle association's chairman, Larry Cammock, said: "We are getting a lot of calls from servicemen and their families. We try and have a general chat and find out what is worrying them"

Mr Cammock, 62, who has been avoiding watching television, said: "Because of the training, our reaction to being under fire is the same as serving soldiers, so watching it on television is like being there. You are reliving it.

"I have not had a full night's sleep since they went in. I have been trying not to watch reports of the war on television, but it is very difficult with so much output.

"The other day, I had to go for a meal with some friends and the restaurant had one of those big television sets blasting away the news. I could not leave and was stuck.

"It brought back memories of dust and sand, Scud missile alerts, and burning oil."

Lesley McCourt, 40, who was attached to the War Graves Service and buried more than 1,000 Iraqis on the Basra Highway, said: "I have been trying not to watch television or read newspapers. If I watch, I am there. I am smelling it, living it, breathing it. It's like a never-ending story."

Some of the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder include nightmares, mood swings, rashes and spots.

26/03/2003