Excited members of 4 Regiment Army Air Corps will fly and maintain the attack helicopter for one year when they leave on May 10.

Air Trooper Gareth Rundle, 29, a member of the Territorial Army 6 Regiment, based in Bury St Edmunds, has been selected for a tour of duty with the Apaches.

Air Trooper Rundle, from Fornham All Saints, said: "We are all very excited to be working with the Apache – it is an amazing bit of kit.

"You never think one day you could be out in a foreign land, doing your job with the best bit of equipment in the British Army."

The 160 members of 4 Regiment AAC are now taking part in final training at RAF Lyneham, in Wiltshire.

Captain Colin Peall, of 664 Squadron, is looking forward to his first experience of Afghanistan during the year-long tour.

He said: "I am very excited to be going out, it is going to be a challenge

"It is a good opportunity to go out and do something worthwhile."

The Apaches will be used for reconnaissance missions, to escort patrols and to provide armed response to incidents on the ground.

Pilots are being prepared for operations in a multi-million pound simulator ahead of their deployment.

Lieutenant Colonel Neil Dalton, who will be commanding the Joint Helicopter Force in Afghanistan, said the Apaches and the men were well prepared for their mission.

He said : "We are very confident everything is in place.

"There will always be an element of nerves, but it is the one, true test of your skills and people are excited to be deployed out there."