Not a single holidaymaker has set foot on its runways - yet this sandswept patch of land is now one of the busiest British-run airports.

Camp Bastion airfield in troubled Helmand Province, Afghanistan, handles more air traffic than Luton, military chiefs said.

Although initially designed to handle no more than three aircraft movements per week, the facility has grown to such an extent over three years that it is the fifth busiest UK-run airport.

The airport began operations in April 2006 when a two man control team from the RAF Tactical Air Traffic Control Unit activated the dirt track landing strip.

``What they didn't realise was that it was to be the first of hundreds of thousands of aircraft movements to come,'' a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said.

``Today, combat operation, medical evacuations and logistics sustainment flights all operate from what has become a vital military hub, and the air traffic controllers based at Camp Bastion are integral to the support of the Army's operations in southern Afghanistan.''