US and British coalition soldiers have been working alongside Iraqi civilians to repair roads, water networks and even install a playground and football pitch here.

But Rear Admiral Charles Kubic, head of the US military's Marine Engineers Group, said that locals were still wary of accepting offers of help.

Kubic paid a visit Sunday to a primary school where engineers have put up blackboards and white washed the walls. But a conversation he held with the parents of one of the pupils highlighted the obstacles that still remain.

"This is one of the few schools in town that have opened themselves to us ... But all the teachers have fled, they are afraid," Kubic said.

"It was agreed that we would help to try and clean up the school and we asked the parents to work with us. But they said not until Baghdad has fallen."

Kubic also paid a visit to a nearby playground which featured swings and slides built by US engineers but he was harangued by one civilian who kept asking for medical help for a relative, adding that all the doctors in town had left.

Kubic said he would "find out what happened but I am an engineer, not a doctor."

Marine Colonel Mike Howard said that the arrival of coalition troops had disrupted the lives of locals.

"We've disrupted their normal life and they want a change for the better right away."

According to Howard, the doctors had left as locals suspected that their jobs were down to their connections with the local ruling Baath party.

Iraqi civilians have also begun working alongside US engineers to repair roads in Umm Qasr, including the gravelling of a route leading from the port where humanitarian aid is docking.

One of the seven workers, who are each paid two dollars a day along with four bottles of water for their families, warmly welcomed the presence of US troops and criticised the French and German governments for their opposition to the war.

"Tell (German Chancellor Gerhard) Schroeder and (French President Jacques) Chirac that if they lived for just one day under Saddam they would have asked the whole world to come and liberate us," said the worker who gave his name as Mohammed.

"We know the Americans are here for their own interests but as long as we are together we are fine."

Kubic praised the "courage" of the Iraqi workers and said the willingness of the locals to voice their frustrations was encouraging.

"This is the first time that a lot of the people have opened up to us and that's a positive sign," said the admiral.

British troops are the lead nation in Umm Qasr but the US engineers are likely to remain in the city for at least another fortnight, said Kubic, to help rebuild essential infrastructure.

SPACE.WIRE