AN RAF airwoman from Poole says she is looking forward to “some nice British rain” at the end of a four-month deployment in Afghanistan.

Corporal Natalie Griffin, 31, is serving in the admin office looking after 600 British military personnel at Kandahar.

She is part of the Joint Support Unit of 904 Expeditionary Air Wing.

Her job involves the movement of personnel in Afghanistan, annual appraisals, job specifications and pay – including the payment of operational bonuses and awarding of medals.

“When I get back to the UK I’m looking forward to some good British rain and to wearing some nice shoes, especially after wearing nothing but boots for four months”, she said.

She added: “I’m really hoping that the British Summer lasts into September, so I can enjoy beach time at Bournemouth with the family.”

Like her colleagues, she is required to do guard duties as well as main duties. She had to complete 10 days of pre-deployment training, including weapons handling, as well as another five days of training in Afghanistan.

Natalie’s sister Inez, 16, is well known locally as a star swimmer for Poole Swimming Club, and Natalie has continued supporting her while in Afghanistan.

Inez, their father Stephen Griffin and wife Vicky live in Poole, while Natalie’s mum Rose Mills, husband Malcolm and older sister Cheryl Exall live in Bournemouth.

Natalie went to Glenmoor School and Kingston Maurwood agricultural college.

She joined the RAF in 2000 and has served on ops in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Baghdad. She has also served at Shape in Belgium and is based at RAF Northolt in Middlesex.

She is in training for the London Marathon in 2014, which she will be running as part of Team Breathe for the British Lung Foundation, and is due home from operations in early September.