MORE than 500 letters and parcels for soldiers are delivered to Camp Bastion every day.

Private James Swinburn, 20, from Bury, is one of a team of posties who work to ensure everyone on tour gets their mail from loved ones on a daily basis.

He said up to 700 bags of post were delivered daily and, during the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud which froze flights earlier this year, they were receiving 3,000 a week due to the delays.

The Post Office with the familiar red logo seen on most UK high streets operates like any post and sorting office in this country.

To get letters to forward operating basis on time they are flown to the sites by helicopter.

During his stint at the Post Office as part of six-month tour with the Territorial Army, Pt Swinburn has to deal with a number of parcels that have burst in transit.

He has to repackage everything from sweets and deodorants to a pair of pink frilly knickers!

Pt Sinburn, who works as a builder when not on TA duty, said the sheer volume of post shows the service was vital to military staff serving away from home.

He said: “It is vital. It boosts the moral of a lot of lads. The other guys appreciate our work so much.

“It's great they do appreciate it – they are doing such a great job out here.

“The guys out here are pleased to receive letters and parcels from family at home, it gives then a warm fuzzy feeling.

“When I get a letter from my girlfriend I keep it until I can read it properly then I read it carefully.”

* Click on the link below for more stories by Nafeesa Shan in Afghanistan.