Soldiers from a predominantly Welsh regiment are preparing to leave for Kuwait to spearhead a possible war on Iraq.

Ninety soldiers from First, The Queen's Dragoon Guards, have left their barracks in Catterick, North Yorkshire, for RAF Brize Norton.

The Guards could be among the first UK troops into battle

In the early hours of Friday, they will fly to Kuwait where they could be among the first UK troops involved in any attack on Iraq.

The 600-strong regiment, commonly known as the Welsh Cavalry, specialises in scouting missions on the battlefield and may be in the front line.

The call-up follows a year of intensive training, including exercises in Canada.

The troops heading for the Middle East have an average age in the early 20s, but commanding officers said they are ready for battle.

Major Anthony Pittman, the second-in-command of the Guards, said: "I am confident that they are absolutely ready for this deployment."

Trooper Gavin Griffiths, 19, from Rhyl, is preparing for his first foreign mission after three years in the Guards.

"I'm worried, but we have a lot of good lads, so it should be all right," he said.

"The older boys have said that it will be OK.

We don't know if Saddam Hussein would use weapons of mass destruction and chemical weapons are scary in themselves Corporal Clayton Davies

"My mum's worried. She doesn't know what's going on apart from what she sees on the news."

Nineteen-year-old Paul Pritchard has left his wife Janine and seven-week-old daughter in Rhyl.

He said: "I feel awful about leaving my daughter and my wife has gone back to Rhyl to be with her family.

"I could sense that we'd be sent out but it is a surprise that it has come around so fast."

Corporal Paul Taylor, 32, from Wrexham, has seen active service in the Gulf, Bosnia and Ireland.

Gavin Griffiths and Paul Pritchard have never seen active duty

He added: "I'm happy that we have good equipment to do what we've got to do, which is go out and look for the enemy.

"We've had plenty of training and we are more than ready."

Corporal Clayton Davies, 33, of Wrexham, said: "The world leaders have made hard decisions and we have to go out to implement peace across the world.

"I am apprehensive. We don't know if Saddam Hussein would use weapons of mass destruction and chemical weapons are scary in themselves."