Mike Butler, 58, of Stanley, is bound for the Falklands Islands to take up the post of regional manager for Morrison Construction, part of Galliford Try plc.

For the past 20 years Mr Butler has worked for Morrison's joint venture with Earth Tech, maintaining and upgrading the assets of Yorkshire Water from a base at the Wakefield 41 Business Park.

Currently a scheme manager responsible for waste water projects in Leeds, Mr Butler's journey to work on Thursday, March 6 will clock up 8,000 miles. And he will be jetting out on an MoD-operated flight from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, to start his new life on the other side of the world.

His partner, Sue Hargreaves, a phlebotomist for the National Health Service, will also be joining him for their new adventure.

Mr Butler said: "I first went out there with Sue for five days in December. We had a look around the island and I went through some of the contracts coming up and we decided to go for it.

"It's been very much a joint decision. If Sue hadn't been keen I wouldn't be going. Once we've settled in she will probably look for a job too, which shouldn't be too difficult given her transferable skills."

Mr Butler will head a 40-strong team involved in a variety of building and civil engineering projects for the Falkland Islands government.

Extensions to a police station and an abattoir are due to start in April.

There are also plans in the pipeline to construct jetties for a new roll-on roll-off ferry service, which aims to boost development in the sparsely populated West Falkland, by improving its connection with East Falkland.

Mr Butler said: "The planning and logistics of construction are the biggest challenge out there. All structures are designed to UK specifications using UK materials and they take around six weeks to be delivered.

"There is no nipping down to the local builder's merchant if you're short of something."

And Mr Butler already knows what he will be doing in his spare time.

He said: "I like adventure and being the master of my own destiny. I also enjoy walking and the outdoor lifestyle and the sea trout fishing in the Falklands is second to none – it will more than make up for not being able to fly-fish in Yorkshire."