IT'S difficult to know who to believe.

Everywhere you turn in Bosnia there are secret histories from the dark days of the war, savage stories and tales so twisted it's difficult to accept they ever happened.

The thing is, they could easily be true.

When Lancaster's Srg Martin Holohan first landed in Bosnia back in 1997 it was the stuff of nightmares. A time-served King's Own veteran of 24 years, he looks back over his long career and remembers one particular patrol where he discovered around 60 mentally and physically handicapped children who had been left to rot in an empty orphanage.

He vividly remembers the squalid stench and sense of hopelessness which felt like a kick in the stomach.

On this tour he's seen considerable changes and is himself actively involved in rebuilding shattered communities.

In one isolated muslim village, Gornij Hadrovici, he's working closely with the village elder, Memet, to try and "winterise" three houses so families can return.

Living in a bombed out shack isn't too bad in the scorching summer months but come December, temperatures drop well below freezing.

Srg Holohan explained: "The village was ethnically cleansed and most people fled to a refugee camp in Slovenia. Only a handful have come back and we're trying to get three of the houses ready for the winter. With funding from the British Government we're hoping to get them doors and windows so they can survive. Once a few families have come back then others will hopefully return."

In this area there are plenty of horror stories. The Serbs claim six policemen were captured by the muslims and were spit-roasted alive on open fires. The muslims say 148 of their men folk were captured by the Serb army and have not been seen since. They fear a mass grave deep in the forest.

But Memet's concerns are for the future of the village and the people who used to live there. He and a handful of villagers have been acting on Srg Holohan's instructions and begun the process of clearing the rubble from the bullet-ridden wrecks.

"While SFOR are here we feel safe," said Memet. "We were all born in the village and grew up here. This is our home and we want to return with our families. When people come to this area they say it is very beautiful but little has changed since the war ended. We still have nothing."

Srg Holohan is looking forward to surprising Memet with news that they have the resources to "winterise" an extra house. Getting the humanitarian aid to the people in need is a lengthy bureaucratic process but the villagers are patient and have faith in the word of the British Army.

And high on their wish list is a simple generator which will provide electricity to power a small television.

Like millions of ordinary people around the world, Memet and his friends are looking forward to watching the Olympic games.

One of the larger than life characters I met in Bosnia was a 6ft 7in Serb called Dragan.

The man mountain with steely blue eyes was a local baker who had just received a £9,000 grant from the British Army to develop his business.

He was obviously delighted and insisted we celebrate with him.

He uncorked an extra strong bottle of plumb brandy and persuaded us to join him at a special rock concert that had been organised at a nearby mountain park.

It was a bizarre and unforgettable night.

As we arrived the band on stage burst into "Born to be Wild" which sent the several thousand strong crowd into a frenzy.

The King's Own's translators, who worked alongside the soldiers on patrol, joined us and in the informal atmosphere I tried to get a deeper understanding of what had really happened in Bosnia from these young, clever and articulate people.

They made it plain the war was a horror they wished hadn't happened. Like the majority of ordinary people their lives had been overtaken by events and, when the bullets and bombs began to fly, their only concern was survival.

Later that night one of the interpreters enlightened me with just one example of his war time experiences.

He described how one patrol he was with came across the remains of a village where two women had been impaled on wooden stakes.

He had entered a house and found nine decapitated corpses. The shocking sight was too much and he passed out. When he regained consciousness he was informed that all the missing heads had been discovered in a large vat of blood.

It was difficult to believe, impossible to understand but the look in his eyes told me it was true.

Acting Commanding Officer for the King's Own Royal Border Regiment, Morecambe-born Maj Andrew Dennis, despairs at the media's portrayal of army life.

Basic training is still pretty tough, it has to be to get the raw recruits fighting fit, but once you've found a role in the regiment he believes the army has a lot to offer.

"Television is especially full of old fashioned stereotypes. It's no longer a case of officers barking orders and getting the soldiers to jump. I have found army life to be very varied, satisfying and challenging. You get posted every two years which means there's always something new on the horizon."

He added: "I think it's important that local people know what we are doing out here and what local lads are involved in. We like to know that we have the support of people back home."

This view is mirrored by all ranks. Lanc Corp Lee Wilkinson from the Ridge used to be a butcher but has travelled the globe during his five and a half years with the KORBR. He goes on patrol and keeps an eye on the Serb police to ensure local justice is being fairly administered.

Married for just over a year, he became a father for the first time 8 months ago and said he was looking forward to seeing little Holly Rose soon.

Corp Tommy Hunt from Lancaster has enjoyed his 15 years with the KORBR as a medic and barman!

He said: "There's lots of travel, I've been to 13 different countries, and the money's pretty good. I'd definitely recommend it."

Young Gareth Sterriker, 18, of Bolton-le-Sands has been with the King's Own for just six months.

"Up in the hills the villages are pretty bad and like what we've all seen on TV," he said. "I always wanted to be in the army. I like helping other people and the sergeant has been showing me the ropes and passing on his knowledge."

One of the privileges of a tour in Bosnia is the week's adventure training at Brac, a picturesque holiday resort off Croatia's Adriatic coast.

Here the squaddies get to try their hand at all sorts of activities, from climbing to scuba diving, which is a welcome relief from life on the base.