ARMY chef Robert Everson is feeding the 500 in Iraq.

The Darlington corporal and father-of-two joined the Army as a chef in 1997.

He has worked with the Royal Scots for three years and, before that, the Welsh Guards, and has served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland. He is on his second tour in Iraq.

Cpl Everson, 28, is married to Carleane and they have two children Harry, three, and Andrew, who is seven months old.

"The team feeds up to 500 with three meals every day and we also make container meals for the guys out in the various watch towers.

"I have found it hard out here. In Edinburgh, we had proper kitchens. Here, we are working in old metal wardrobes - its called improvised cookery," he said.

"The soldiers need nutritious food, they need energy."

Everything out in the desert has to be made or washed with bottled water because the local water is not of high enough quality.

Cpl Everson is working at the Shaibah Logistics Base, in Basra.

He said the conditions in Iraq were better than during his previous tour in the country - but he said he was not looking forward to working in the kitchens in the hot summer.

Cpl Everson, who works from 7am until about 8pm, is due home in June.