Heroic soldier wins award

A heroic British soldier has been presented with an award for his efforts on the front line in Afghanistan, despite his mother thinking he was working in an office job.

Lisburn lance bombardier Gary Prout was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for risking his life to save a fellow comrade while serving in Helmand province last year.

The citation on the award stated that the soldier displayed the "most incredible courage" and risked his life on three separate occasions, adding "it was a miracle that he himself was not killed".

Meanwhile, his mother Heather said: "He kept it from me that he was actually on the front line ... I thought he worked in an office."

Lance bombardier Prout will travel to Buckingham Palace in the summer to collect the award.

Similarly, Sergeant Alan Dennis was recently awarded the highly-coveted Victoria Cross in recognition of him fighting off a Taliban ambush single-handedly, despite suffering from a broken arm at the time.

Posted by Mark Wilkins

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