THE mother of a nurse who has been sent to the Gulf says she is devastated her daughter has had to go.

But the Americans' decision to launch the offensive on Baghdad with selective bombing has reassured Brenda Dainty, of Ash Avenue, Brickfields.

Her daughter, Gillian Ramsey, a 42-year-old mother-of-four, is a member of the Territorial Army and headed for the war zone last Thursday. She is thought to be on the Kuwait/Iraqi border, waiting for the command to attack.

"I did nothing but cry when she first left," said Mrs Dainty. "You can't help it when it's your daughter."

She said Mrs Ramsey, who spent her childhood in Worcester but now lives outside Cardiff, had been a member of the TA for two or three years. This is the first time she had been called up.

"She didn't want to go, but some of her friends from the TA have gone as well, so she's not on her own," she said.

"I've not heard from her for over a week. She is working with missiles and also as a nurse.

"I'm reassured that so far it has been long-range selective bombing and that troops have not yet gone in.

"Hopefully it will limit the number of casualties."

Mrs Dainty said her daughter, who works in a Cardiff GP surgery, was not expecting the call-up, but said it was "one of those things."

"She's against the war," she said. "I'm not too sure what she thinks about it, but I know she's scared.

"I know her husband Stuart and her children aren't happy about their mother going away.

"I just hope she stays safe and hope we hear from her soon. I'm really proud of her."