Royal Engineers rid Kosovan school of snake infestation
Royal Engineers deployed in Kosovo have been called into action to get rid of a snake infestation on a school's land.
The Sappers from 37 Field Squadron, 32 Regiment Royal Engineers made use of their kit and expertise to help out at the school, which is located close to where they are currently stationed at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.
As part of the Strategic Reserve Force (SRF) the squadron had deployed to Kosovo at "extremely short notice".
The Army said: "The SRF was called into action by Nato to strengthen its peacekeeping Kosovo Force (KFOR) as tensions heightened following a gun battle that killed a police officer in the north of the region.
"Most of the troops had only five days' notice to get ready and fly out to their new home at Camp Bondsteel for an undetermined period of time".
KFOR is the permanent peacekeeping force there to provide a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement within Kosovo.
Within its organisation, it has Liaison Monitoring Teams (LMT), which are tasked with supporting communities across the region.
An LMT responded to a plea from a local head teacher for help to level ground that formed his pupils' play area.
The grounds around the Abetarja Primary School in the town of Ferizaj were badly rutted, uneven and dangerous to run around on, and had become the perfect home for dozens of snake dens that posed a danger to the children.
Teacher Ismet Bala explained: "I sent a request to KFOR and they approved because they saw the danger of the snakes.
"I have 220 children here; they couldn't play football because the snakes would come out – it was dangerous here.
"Fortunately, none have been bitten but my staff have had to chase them off. The children were not free to go outside."
Within days of their arrival in Kosovo, the Royal Engineers took a small convoy of three excavators and a self-loading dump truck to sort out the ground and were greeted by "cheering and waving children".
Lance Corporal Reece Longstaff, a plant operator on one of the excavators said: "The school had an infestation of snakes, so we came in with our plant equipment and levelled the ground to make a safe and secure environment for the children.
"It's been great to be with the kids here interacting and playing football. I'm not entirely sure of what our tasks will be later on here in Kosovo but, hopefully, there will be more community engagement work in the local area helping people out; it's one of the perks of the job."
The Army said: "There were no snakes evident during the work, suggesting they had long since fled with the sounds and vibrations as the troops arrived.
"There is copious scrub land further afield well away from the children which will provide the perfect nesting environment."
The UK's contribution to the Nato Kosovo Force (KFOR) Mission in Kosovo will continue until at least 2026, Armed Forces Minister James Heappey announced during a visit to the region in May.
The UK has been a key contributor to the UN-mandated Nato force since it first entered Kosovo as a peacekeeping force in 1999 to bring peace and stability following the conflict of the 1990s.
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