TERRITORIAL army soldier Adam Gagan is home from Afghanistan -- but has flown straight out to Tenerife for a holiday.

For three months, the 27-year-old traded in his role teaching history to be part of the action in the on-going war against terrorism.

He was one of the first civilians to be deployed to a war zone with the TA and worked round the clock to watch over the safety of dozens of regular soldiers. But no sooner was one bag unpacked than he was jetting off again, this time for a leisurely sun sea and surf holiday in the Canaries.

His father Ken, who lives in Bury, said: "He came back all tanned and healthy but somewhat bemused. The 40 hour trip back knocked them out but he was delighted to be back home for Christmas. He said they were freezing at night with minus temperatures and is glad he was the first to go.

"They saw some things they would never have wanted to see but they got on really well with all the full-time troops."

Adam's full-time job is at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn. Ken added: "He has missed teaching and although he will not start back until January he will be in school as soon as he is back from holiday."

In what the Army described as an 'unusual move', the TA volunteers were posted to act as a guard force for the 400 British soldiers still in the country on the Turkish-run peace-keeping operation Fingal.