Jubilant family members have welcomed a young soldier back to York after an arduous five-month tour in the Gulf.

Chris Ashton, 21, said he was happy to be back in his home town after a long stint in Iraq as a sapper with his Germany-based Royal Engineers unit.

The former Burnholme School pupil was welcomed by parents, Paul and Julie, and his brother, Gareth, 15, at York Railway Station.

He said: "I have had everybody back me from home all the way and I could not have done it without them. I've had letters, parcels, text messages - everything my friends and family could have done they did."

Chris went to the Gulf in February and travelled into the interior of Iraq, through Basra, with 65 Support Squadron.

He said soldiers were in constant fear of ambush and groups of young Iraqis often tried to force his convoy to stop in an attempt to steal goods from the vulnerable lorries.

His dad, Paul, a builder of Fifth Avenue, Heworth, said: "At first we did not hear anything at all and then letters began coming through, but it took nine days to receive them. It was a nerve-racking time."

Updated: 10:58 Friday, August 01, 2003