Worried dad Willie keeps vigil for his girls on HMS York mission

MOST fathers whose daughter and daughter-in-law are spending time on a boat in the Mediterranean would be worried about too much partying.

However, Willie Wood's concern for the pair does not revolve around alcohol or too much sun. Instead, he is watching as the crisis unfolds in Libya. Both his daughter Jennifer Wood, 25, and his son's wife Danielle Wood, 23, are in the Royal Navy and stationed on HMS York, which has been providing humanitarian help to the north African country.

Danielle is the ship's aircraft controller and Jennifer is the onboard meteorologist.

While Mr Wood, from East Calder, is used to military-related concern - his son is also in the forces - it has put the uprising in the country at the forefront of his mind.

The 55-year-old council worker told the Evening News: "When this began I had a feeling they might be sent there. They were in that general area on the way to the Falkland Isles, so it made sense.

"The communications were shut down for a few days, which is usually a sign something is going on. They were in the wrong place at the right time, you might say."

HMS York sailed from Malta to Libya at the beginning of March to provide back-up for HMS Cumberland and provide aid for the local population.

Mr Wood said while the pair would not have felt in any danger, unlike their stints in Afghanistan, they were moved by the humanitarian situation.

"It is quite a coincidence that they have both ended up there," he said. "They get on very well and love being in the navy, this is what they joined up for."

His son John is also in the navy, and he is based in Portsmouth. It was his entry into the organisation that encouraged his sister and then wife-to-be to follow. "I think a lot of kids leave school and wonder what the options are around here," said Mr Wood.

"There's McDonald's, there's Mitsubishi and that's about it. He just thought there must be more to life than this and hasn't looked back since. As parents you do get worried, but also used to it at the same time. But I have no concerns Colonel Gaddafi would try anything against the ship - it just wouldn't be possible for him. Despite that, you still do worry about your children going into these situations.

"But that's their job and that's what they signed up for - they know that. Jennifer's been in a few scrapes so I'm not sure this particular posting scared her too much."

Mr Wood's 17-year-old son Andrew also harbours ambitions of life in the military, though Michael, 19, works as a musician and sound engineer.