75516-35WAKE OF THE TSUNAMI: A SWINDON aid worker is preparing to join relief efforts in South East Asia. Nick Cooper, 39, from Old Town, will fly to Sri Lanka later this week to link up with fellow members of Goal an international humanitarian organisation.

The former soldier, who served two tours in Bosnia, hopes the sights he saw while on active service will help in some way to prepare him for the scenes of devastation.

"I have seen dead bodies before but that was as a result of conflict," said Mr Cooper, who served with the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers.

"But it's the improvisation skills that I learned out in the field that will help me most.

"Civilian engineers work in an environment where back-up is always there.

"Military engineers working in the field have to use whatever have to hand. They are extremely flexible."

Mr Cooper, who will return to the UK at the end of February, said that water, shelter and sanitation are the priorities.

"Food does not seem to be a problem in Sri Lanka at the moment," he said.

"But there are sanitation issues. Disease is a big threat."

An example of his resourcefulness, he says, is being able to turn oil drums into toilets.

"We have dubbed them Glastonburys after the poor toilet facilities at many outdoor rock concerts," he said.

"Wherever you go oil drums are normally in plentiful supply.

"The toilets are very basic designs but extremely effective."

A rapid response team from Goal arrived in Sri Lanka days after the tsunami swamped coastal towns.

Mr Cooper will be one of around 30 volunteers in the second deployment.

He said: "The first group has been busy assessing the situation, visiting the worst affected areas and working out what is needed.

"When we get on the ground we will decide how best to go about it."

Mr Cooper said that many of the people they are to help survived devastating floods last year.

"This latest tragedy has hit them hard. The floods displaced a lot of people and many were living in public buildings like schools and mosques."

The aid worker, who quit the army in 1992 to become a civilian engineering contractor, revealed how he turned down a well-paid job in Portugal to join the mercy mission.

"I knew straight away that I wanted to get on board," he said. "It's still very raw for the Sri Lankans.

"The people are very capable but what's needed is an analytical approach from people who can afford to step back and look at the wider picture."

All the volunteers will be found temporary accommodation in either rented houses or tents.

"We avoid hotels to cut costs and it means that we can blend into the community and tackle the main issues," he said.

Mr Cooper would like to thank the following Swindon firms for donating equipment for the trip: Communicate IT UK, miracle.co.uk and WB Photographics.