A regional press man who left his local paper to realise an ambition of working abroad is to make his first assignment… to Baghdad.

Twenty-five-year-old Phil Sands was due to fly out to Iraq this week to cover the build up to the threatened war in the region.

He moved to Northampton last year to work at the Chronicle & Echo after time at the Watford Observer but always wanted to become a foreign correspondent.

Phil (above) said: "I have had several sleepless nights, wondering what I have let myself in for.

"But I have been planning this for some time, and I have more or less got used to the idea.

"I genuinely think the risks are worth taking, there will be events which should be covered and I want to fulfil a personal ambition."

He said he learned a lot of valuable lessons while serving his time in Northampton and hopes to take his experience with him - first to Amman in Jordan and then on to Iraq.

His work is set to appear in the New Statesman, the Chronicle & Echo and several Internet news sites, which have registered an interest.

Chronicle & Echo editor Mark Edwards said: "Phil has been an outstanding reporter for us and we all wish him well on this incredibly tough assignment.

"It is essential that the world is informed about what is going on inside Iraq and in particular to the Iraqi people and we are very proud that Phil has got himself into the position of being able to play a part in this.

"It's a brave step and we look forward to being among the local and national media which will carry his future work."

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