EAST Lancashire TA soldiers have been leaving their mark on Kazakhstan by performing chart songs and dishing up Lancashire hotpot.

A Blackburn nurse mimicked the role of Dame Vera Lynn in World War Two by singing to the former Soviet country's troops - and was broadcast live on national television.

And two Burnley chefs took a taste of Lancashire to the Kazakh troops when they cooked up a treat of traditional Lancashire hotpot. The soldiers were in Kazakhstan to rehearse peace support tactics.

As part of that, Private Jade Anthony, 17, from Guide, took to the stage with a version of the Leanne Rhymes' hit, Can't Find the Moonlight'.

The St Mary's College student nurse was asked at the last minute to perform in the opening and closing ceremonies of the exercise. Jade said: "I was told by one of our captains that I would be singing at the opening ceremony, which I was not expecting at all. I sang with a bit of backing music. I must have done OK because the Kazakhstan colonel asked me if I would perform again at the closing ceremony."

After the performance Jade was interviewed by the Kazakhstan media.

The soldiers were among a 140-strong contingent of 4th Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (4LANCS) on a two-week NATO training exercise.

The unit was chosen to represent the British Army on an exercise working alongside the Kazakhstan Army as well as US soldiers.

The aim was to rehearse peace support tactics used in military operations.

Warrant Officer Class Two, Frank McDevitt, awarded an MBE in this year's Queen's Honours list, and Corporal Mark Schofield, cooked for the troops and one day decided to rustle up a treat to bring a bit of Lancashire to Kazakhstan- hotpot.

The Burnley men are the main chefs at the battalion's HQ in Preston and the battalion's training base in Moss Street, Blackburn.

Granddad Mr McDevitt, 60, said: "They loved it and kept coming back for more."

l During the excercise 19-year-old Kingsman Jordan Small, from Darwen, was awarded a Joint Commander's Commendation for his service during a six-month operational tour in Iraq.