Maidenbower soldier coming home for Christmas

A "CLOSE KNIT" family have received the "best Christmas present ever" after their hero came back from Afghanistan.

Soldier Wayne Osborne will be coming home from a war torn country to spend the festive period with his doting family.

And proud mum Loraine said: "I just can't wait to see him. It will be the best Christmas present ever."

The family from Maidenbower will be driving on Christmas Day to Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, to pick up the 19-year-old, who has been serving out in Afghanistan for three months.

Loraine, of Gates Close, said: "We will be driving up there then we will have Christmas Day on Boxing Day.

"I am on a countdown until I see him, the whole family are. It has been difficult but we are all so proud of him.

"I think when he comes home he will just completely deflate."

Wayne has been in the Army for three years and is part of the Royal Horse Artillery.

Loriane continued: "It is something he has always wanted to do. As a little boy he would pick up sticks and play war with them.

"I think it is something the whole family knew he would do from a very young age.

"It runs in the family, his dad was in the Territorial Army (TA), his grandad was in the navy and his stepdad was also in the armed forces.

"Obviously for me as his mother, it can be very hard speaking to him on the phone when he is out there. But we are all supportive, we are all so proud of him."

And the mum-of-two has said the whole family really miss him when he is away.

She said: "He is a joker, I miss him making me laugh when he is away.

"He is very close to his sister Emma, 15. She is really looking forward to seeing Wayne. He gave her a Help for Heroes wristband when he left and she never takes it off. We are a very nice close knit family.

"It will be such a special Christmas having him home."