OUR boys are home from Iraq after four and a half months of putting their lives on the line -- and they've been given a hero's welcome.

After working 18 hours a day, seven days a week saving lives and keeping the peace in Iraq the 1st Battalion of the Queens Lancashire Regiment flew back yesterday. The QLR's 620 officers and soldiers -- including more than 150 from East Lancashire -- have been responsible for the security in Basra.

They've had to dodge gunshots and riots and had to cope with the loss of a colleague killed during an attack. The feelings of hundreds of family and friends were summed up by Wendy Schofield, 39, of Brookford Close, Burnley, whose husband Mark, 40, is a Territorial lance corporal.

She said: "We've been worried sick about them. They are all heroes for what they have done and we are extremely proud and relieved to have them back."

And their commanding offier, Lieutenant Colonel Jorge Mendonca, added: "The lads can been extremely proud of what they have achieved."

Since being deployed in mid June they have had just six days leave but yesterday 215 of them, including the majority of those from this area, were finally reunited with their friends and family.

They flew back into Teesside Airport around 1.30pm where they were welcomed by the Normandy Band of the Queen's Division before being driven to Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

Lieutenant Colonel Mendonca, commanding officer for The 1st Battalion Queen's Lancashire Regiment, said: "We deployed in Basra in the second half of June. We took over a city where gun shots were pretty much the order of the hour let alone the day.

"Nearly five months later we leave a city where we rarely have gun shots, where the electricity has been restored to 24 hours a day and the people are much happier with security on the streets.

"This is a result of this battalion working extremely hard 18 hours a day, seven days a week.

"They have done a variety of the most dangerous and demanding jobs you would expect a soldier to do and done it with enormous professionalism.

"It has been a hard tour and one the lads can be extremely proud of."

Since June the soldier's primary task was the conduct of security and stabilisation of operations in central and southern Basra.

Four of their main bases were Saddam's palace, the former house of the Iraqi chemical weapons boss known as Chemical Ali, the secret police headquarters and the Ba'ath party buildings.

Operations have included riot control, routine security operations, guarding specific locations, arresting key suspects, arresting suspect terrorists, searching suspicious buildings and bringing the city back to normal.

They have captured over 400 weapons from knives and pistols to anti-tank rockets and anti-aircraft missiles, and made more than 200 arrests -- over 100 of which were believed to be terrorists loyal to the former regime.

Other operations have revolved around improving the city by restoring the electricity and water supplies, helping with education in schools and training Iraqui police in military skills.

Over the next three weeks the Queen's Lancashires will complete post tour administration including a Thank You Parade in Preston on November 12 before a well- deserved break.

The troops are then expected to have around five weeks leave over Christmas before preparations begin for their next tour to Cyprus which will last two years -- but least for that tour their families will go too.