More than 250 soldiers from the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are preparing to leave their base in Fife for a UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus.

The troops are in training ahead of their deployment next month as part of the largest UK force within the United Nations.

It is the group's first operational tour since replacing the RAF at Leuchars, having moved to the region from Germany.

Soldiers will swap their grey berets for blue while based in the buffer zone which divides Cyprus, which has been in place since the 1960s.

Commanding officer Dominic Coombes told STV: "It's unlike our previous tours in Afghanistan and Iraq as the threat level in Cyprus is low.

"We may have to assist the police with public order in extreme cases but mainly we will be interacting with people."