RISCA cameraman Dai Baker, 30, is covering the Gulf war for ITN. He is with the Seventh Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. He sent this exclusiove report to the Argus.

"It has been quite dramatic for the last week since we came over the border. We were with the first British troops to come over the border - Seventh Parachute RHA - and since then it has been non-stop.

"It is not easy to know what is going on - some people say the war is going well and they are still up for it, but others say it isn't going as well as it should.

"People at home wonder what it's like here. The bottom line is that we are living with the troops in the desert and at times it has been quite horrible.

"It's like nothing you can imagine. We were in a fire fight with the two sides duelling and we were fired upon for what felt like years. They were getting closer - one night I was woken by the regimental sergeant major who shouted at us 'We're fighting for our lives!' "The noise was incredible and there was no time to even think. Eventually it was over, and we were all drained by the whole experience.

"We don't know where we are going next or how long we will be in Rumeila. We have been on the oil fields for the past five days now but who knows what will happen next. Things can change so quickly here.

"Also, people think this is a desert and it's hot and dry, but we have had the most terrible thunderstorms. It's like World War I here - thick mud everywhere. Sometimes you are just ankle deep in the mud.

"What happens next is anyone's guess. We don't hear much - some people have got shortwave radios and so now and again we can listen to the World Service but we find out a lot when people ring home and get the news from people in Britain.

"The death of Terry Lloyd (the ITN reporter killed while covering the war last week) was a terrible shock. I have known him very well for years and I was devastated.

"He ws a top bloke who was with ITN for years and was one of the old school. I was traumatised to hear what happened to him. It's a terrible loss."