A SOLDIER from Derbyshire has told of his "challenging, stressful but rewarding" role fighting the Taliban.

Major Ben Ingham has been keeping his family and friends up to date with his exploits in war-torn Afghanistan by sending regular emails and photos to his village's website.

In his online dispatches to www.parwich.org, he tells how he is working at NATO headquarters in the capital Kabul.

The exact nature of the 37-year-old's role is secret but his reports offer a fascinating insight into a soldier's life in Afghanistan.

Major Ingham's mother, Susan White, has recently retired as chief executive at Bennetts department store, Derby, where his brother Simon is managing director.

Major Ingham said: "I have used the website regularly to keep abreast of village life while deployed and felt compelled to contribute. I would love to write and tell people that being deployed is all action but the reality is far less glamorous."

Major Ingham grew up in Parwich and attended St Anselm's School, Bakewell, and then Repton School.

He joined the Army in 1996, following the footsteps of his brother Simon and joining the Royal Artillery.

He has seen action in Northern Ireland, completed four tours of Iraq, including the first ground offensive in 2003, and this year's six-month tour is his second in Afghanistan.

What he can say about his role is that it involves finding Taliban targets and ensuring there are no civilian casualties in battle.

He said: " The job is exceptionally challenging and likewise exceptionally rewarding. There are high periods of stress where snap decisions need to be made.

"The hours are long and sleep often limited. Nevertheless, it is satisfying to know that we are supporting soldiers from across all coalition nations and providing them with the military support they require."

So far, Major Ingham has sent three reports back to the Parwich village website.

In one he says: "The headquarters in which I work, in Kabul, is vast. Imagine most of the inhabitants of Parwich trying to work for 24 hours a day within a building that equates to a site roughly four times the size of the new village hall.

"Life in Afghanistan is a world away from life back home and it is the simple pleasures that you miss such as breathing clean air or taking a walk with my mum and the dogs to Tissington."

Jane Bennett, who helps run www.parwich.org, was thrilled he was sending back his stories from Kabul.

She said: "We are a real community website but used by many people and groups. We average about 11,000 to 12,000 hits a month, the busiest month soaring to 25,000 and we have over half a million hits in total which is amazing when you consider how small our community is and that we have just had our third birthday."