A young woman from north Devon is in line for a £5,000 bonus after enlisting in the Army as a linguist.

Abigail Hanafin from Barnstaple will sign on the dotted line on Tuesday to join the Army Intelligence Corps.

The 28-year-old, who has studied French, German, Spanish and Russian qualifies for a "Golden Hello" once she completes her basic training.

The cash incentive is to encourage people with suitable qualifications to consider a military career.

Miss Hanafin, who passed her entrance aptitude test with the highest score ever recorded at the Barnstaple office, is due to begin her training in August.

The linguist said: "I wanted a job which would make the most of my language skills and cultural experiences.

"I enjoy an active outdoor life and I believe a job with the Intelligence Corps will certainly offer me more than the average nine-to-five job."

Miss Hanafin has GCSEs in French and German, A-Levels in Spanish and French and a dual honours degree in French and Russian interpreting and translating.

Weapon training

During her degree course at university in Edinburgh, she spent five months studying in Russia and teaching English to Russian students. She has also worked as an overland truck driver in Europe, a tour guide in South America and an outdoor centre activity instructor.

Recruiting officer Sgt Paul McHugh said: "Abigail is exactly the type of high-calibre applicant the army is looking for.

"As a linguist, one of her jobs will be to intercept enemy messages, unravel their meaning and submit reports to the appropriate headquarters. I have every confidence she will be a great asset to her regiment."

The rigorous training for Miss Hanafin will include basic training at Winchester, military intelligence training and a 67-week language course ranging from Arabic to Chinese. She will also learn weapon firing, field craft and tactics.