Territorial Army soldiers from Leicestershire are to be sent to Cyprus for a six-month tour of duty as UN peace-keepers.

A detachment of 300 part-time troops from the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment will arrive on the Mediterranean island at the end of this month to prevent trouble between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

There has been a state of continuing conflict in Cyprus since a Turkish invasion of the north of the island in 1974.

Part of the job of the Leicestershire territorials will be to patrol a buffer zone which divides the Turkish-held north and the Greek south, in arid 40C temperatures.

They will be based in a UN camp in Nicosia, the island's capital, and a disused airport in the buffer zone.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Lyne, the Anglians' commanding officer, said peace-keeping duties required very different skills to those some of the soldiers have already put to use in tours of combat zones, such as Afghanistan.

He said: "Our aim over the six months will be to make sure the situation between the Greeks and the Turks remains stable as the diplomatic side of things continues. After Northern Ireland, this is the UK's longest-running operational commitment.

"There is not likely to be any combat but the troops will be out on foot patrol in a sensitive area so they will face situations where they need to use diplomacy and negotiation. It will be a more subtle operation in a conflict that many people have forgotten about.

"For these six months, they will cease to be British soldiers and will be under UN command."

As well as foot patrols, the soldiers will get about on mountain bikes.

Bus driver Pte Craig Lewin, 35, from Wigston, will be part of the mission.

The father of two will be leaving behind his wife Suzanne and daughters Logan, two, and Miran, eight. for the tour.

He said: "They have been very supportive because they know this is something I have wanted to do for a long time though it will be hard to be away from them for so long."

Pte Lewin, who joined the Territorial Army unit based at Ulverscroft Road, Leicester, 18 months ago, added: "It should be a challenge. A lot of people see Cyprus as a holiday destination but we will be well away from the resorts trying to prevent incursion into the buffer zone and ensure things stay calm. It certainly won't be easy but we have trained very hard."

Lorry driver Pte Richard Huggett, 42, of Littlethorpe, will leave behind his fiance Donna, his six-year-old twin girls Hollie and Charlie and stepdaughter Georgia Brant, 14.

Pte Huggett, who was a regular with the Anglians 13 years ago and served in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, said: "I am really looking forward to it. I will miss the family but there is an important job to do out in Cyprus."

The soldiers will be presented with their desert kit and blue berets in a ceremony later this month.