MIXING with scorpions, elephants and giraffes is all in a day's work for one local soldier.

For the last month, Fusilier Scott Bennett, 25, from Penally, has been on Exercise Askari Thunder in the east African country with 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers).

The training lasts a total of six weeks and is an extended test of soldier skills, stamina and fitness where soldiers learn how to work with each other, take enemy ground and how to cope with an unexpected attack or ambush.

The former Ysgol Greenhill School pupil, who joined the Army in 2003, said: "It's been back to basics soldiering - testing all your military skills in a really ardous, extremely hot, environment.

"It's a big challenge for the battalion."

Scott serves with Fire Support Group Two, which can involve tabbing up hills with heavy weaponry weighing up to 60kg. The weaponry provides accurate long-distance cover fire for troops on the ground.

"Being in Kenya will benefit all the guys because you take away a new experience and enhanced skills," said Scott, who has previously completed tours of Iraq, Northern Ireland and also two tours of Afghanistan. He is married to Sarah and mum Tina still lives in Penally.

1 Royal Welsh is heading up a 1,000-strong battlegroup that includes a company of soldiers from the Kenyan Army. The days are spent conducting intense exercises in temperatures sometimes reaching 50 degrees celsius in a place called Archers Post, more than 250 miles from the capital Nairobi.

However, as the soldiers manoeuvre through the levels they not only have get used to free-roaming wildlife in the form of elephants, cheetahs and lions, they have to beat the scorching heat.

Two weeks ago, one soldier suffered a snake bite and the training also had to be halted in parts because herds of ostriches decided to scamper across the range.

He said: "It is strange to see giraffes and elephants. You see all walks of life.

"Kenya is definitely a unique training experience."