Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mary Fagan, has renewed her acquaintance with the Tidworth-based Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.

"The Tigers" - Hampshire's Infantry Regiment - has been busy patrolling the streets of the Kosovan capital, Pristina, as part of the Nato peacekeeping operation, and Mrs Fagan has been visiting them this week.

On the six-month operational tour, they are providing security on the streets of the sprawling concrete city and its rural surroundings.

Day-to-day tasks include protecting the small Serb minority and searching for the illegal weapons that are such a problem in the former Yugoslav Province.

The regiment's armoured infantry - specialist soldiers equipped with the Warrior fighting vehicle - are among the most capable fighting forces currently in Kosovo.

Soldiers normally patrol day and night in four-man teams, equipped with automatic rifles. They communicate using new personal radio headsets, which enable the patrol to speak to each other while navigating the maze of side-streets and tall concrete flats.

Mrs Fagan flew in on a three-hour military flight to be welcomed by Tigers RSM, Bob Wells. She was then driven to Pristina's Station City Central-a former Serb police station and home to 150 of the Tigers.

Commanding officer, Lt Col James Cameron, gave her a presentation on the Tigers tour.

That evening, she attended a function at Jubilee Barracks, on the outskirts of the city, where she chatted with visiting Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon.

Mrs Fagan joined soldiers for an army breakfast before being taken to "Warrior Hill", overlooking the city, where she watched a simulated infantry attack using the Tigers' formidable Warrior armoured fighting vehicle - capable of speeds in excess of 60mph.

Warriors have been used on a number of operations in Kosovo and soldiers need to continually practice the skills of armoured warfare.

Mrs Fagan watched B Company's soldiers training and then took time to speak to the many Hampshire soldiers present, including Warrior driver, Pte Kenny Hills, from Hayling Island, who told her: "The Warrior is great to drive, she was amazed that such a big vehicle can go so fast!"

She also met Pte Sean Long, from Basingstoke, and LCpl Dean Rooney, from Aldershot, who are looking forward to the prospect of taking their Warriors to the vast open plains of Canada next year for an exercise on the massive Batus training area.

Hamble man, Major James Coote, invited Mrs Fagan to take the commander's seat in the Warrior for a drive to the historic "Field of Blackbirds" battlefield.

She took her position in the turret, looking down over the vehicle's main weapon - the 30mm Rarden cannon.

She had to wear a helmet for safety and radio headphones to be able to communicate above the engine noise.

Mrs Fagan was then taken at high speed down a dirt track from the hilltop to the battlefield on the plain below.

It is not a journey for the faint-hearted but it was obvious that she enjoyed the experience.

At the imposing monument marking the site, new platoon commander, Scnd Lt James Passmore gave the Lord Lieutenant a brief on the history of the battle.

There, in 1389, the Forces of King Lazar of Serbia fought a bloody battle against the Ottoman Turks.

The Serbs revere the memory of his glorious defeat and it was on this site in 1989 that Slobodan Milosevic ignited the ethnic tensions, which would lead to the unravelling of Yugoslavia.

Zlatare ranges were the next destination. "A " Company were firing on the close quarter battle range where soldiers advance, engaging targets as they pop up in various directions.

It is designed to test the soldier under battle conditions.

Mrs Fagan, an experienced shot, was delighted to try her aim with the 5.56mm SA80 rifle. She then enjoyed lunch with the company, including Hampshire soldiers, Pte Lewis Crouch, who comes from Portsmouth, Matthew Ward, from Southampton, Sgt Glen Elson, from Gosport, and Pte Colin Davis, from Basingstoke.

It was then back to the city to join one of the Tigers' urban patrols which have brought a great sense of security to the lives of ordinary urban Kosovans.

Patrol commander, LCpl Stevie Tallon, from Portsmouth, is one of many young soldiers who routinely lead small teams round the busy city deterring crime and extremism.

He was impressed with Mrs Fagan's understanding of military matters: "She's a lovely lady who's also really switched on about the army".

The respect ordinary Kosovans have for the Tigers' professionalism was apparent - respect that has been earned though five months of hard work.

The patrol finished up in Station City South - home of "Y" (Fire Support) Company - for a well-earned "brew" and a chat with the men who are mortar and anti-tank experts by trade.

"Y" Company patrol the southern part of the city where several hundred thousand people are shoehorned into the high-rise flats that dominate the area.

Mrs Fagan showed a keen interest in their recent operations with the German Army where Tigers taught British patrolling techniques to German Troops in Pristina and observation skills on the southern border.

An action-packed day finished with a dinner at Station Central with soldiers and many of the international community who work with the Tigers in the city.

The British peacekeepers operate closely with organisations such as the UN and OSCE and Mrs Fagan noted the high regard they have for the PWRR.

The Lord Lieutenant spend her final day in Kosovo visiting the historic Serb Orthodox Monastry in Gracanica, south east of Pristina, in the company of Padre Myatt.

She later visited the soldiers of the reconnaissance platoon whose tasks include covert surveillance in Pristina. After saying farewell, she was taken to Pristina airport for the flight back to the UK.