ON Sunday, August 15, 1998, a car bomb exploded in Market Street, Omagh, killing 29 and injuring more than 200. The Queen's Lancashire Regiment was the resident infantry battalion and was instrumental in helping people deal with the carnage. That loyalty is now being repaid as the QLR faces its own battle for survival. CAROLINE INNES reports. . .

TWO hundred people lay bleeding in the street and 29 people had lost their life.

Michael Gallagher was among those to suffer a loss in the blast - his son Aiden, 21. And on August 16 he had to identify his body.

"He was lying in a helicopter hanger that the Queen's Lancashire Regiment had made into a temporary mortuary," he said.

"They had gone to enormous efforts to ease our pain, showing us nothing but the utmost sensitivity and patience.

"The QLR then worked tirelessly in the aftermath of the explosion and families came to thank the regiment for weeks for everything they had done for us."

Michael is now chairman of the Omagh Self Help and Support Group and the film Omagh, which was shown this year on Channel 4, is based on his story.

He has joined the many local people who want the historic regiment to remain despite a defence review that could see Lancashire's last surviving regiment lose its county name or be merged with regiments from other areas. A Lancashire Evening Telegraph campaign to save the QLR has already generated massive support.

And Coun Allan Rainey MBE, vice chairman of Omagh District Council in August 1998, said: "Of course it will be easy for the people of Lancashire to believe that there regiment is the best, but for us in Omagh that group of men really pulled out all the stops.

"On the day that shook our town and the days that followed the work that they did was unbelievable.

"I don't know where we would have been if we had not had the their help.

"They carried out the most difficult job of constructing a mortuary and identifying dead victims.

"If you even try and get that into perspective then you realise it is something no soul should ever have to go through."

He added: "We had the QLR to stand by us at a time of great tragedy like a big brother or guardian angel.

"The men from Lancashire stood by our sides and we thank God that they did.

"The people of Omagh will stand behind them now and would be honoured to help them with the campaign to save the regiment."

Father Kevin Mullan, a local Catholic priest, gave the last rites to many of the victims who lay dying in the street.

He also worked closely with the chaplain of the QLR, Francis Barber, at the time of the bomb.

He said: "The regiment was instrumental in setting up the temporary mortuary and when each family came through to identify dead relatives they were treated with the greatest respect and kindness by the men.

"They laid out the bodies and had decorated the hanger and hung curtains to help ease the pain for relatives.

"Their help was not overlooked at the time but when the regiment left Ireland the families wanted to express how grateful they were by holding a function and presenting the regiment with a beautiful marble plaque.

"In spite of all the bad feeling that existed between some Northern Irish towards the British Army, the QLR managed to bridge that rift and win a place in the hearts of the people of Omagh."

Stanley McCombe lost his wife Ann in the bomb and now is an active member of the Omagh Self Help Group. He too has firsthand experience of the work that the QLR did at the time.

"We couldn't help but have a good relationship with the regiment because nobody could have met a finer bunch of gentlemen," he said.

"Forgetting the reasons they came to Omagh, we looked up to them and admired them for what they did. I really could not praise the regiment enough and it would sadden me tremendously if this part of history in Britain and Ireland was lost."