IT was a long and worrying seven months for Gwent families waiting at home while loved ones were in Iraq, rebuilding war-torn communities.

So the returning volunteer soldiers of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers were given heroes' welcomes on Saturday night at Cwmbran Territorial Army Centre, and in Monmouth.

Some 124 soldiers from across the regiment were mobilised in May last year to support Operation Telic, in Iraq.

At 5am on Friday the soldiers left Basra to start the journey home to their civilian lives.

In Iraq to support the rebuilding and maintenance of local infrastructure, the volunteer soldiers were involved in bridge building and repair, supplying electricity to those without, provision of drinking water, and community relation projects, such as rebuilding schools and hospitals.

Together with a constant battle against the heat, there was also the concern of potential guerrilla attacks.

According to Sergeant Major Islwyn Evans, who came home to Blackwood on Saturday, each and every soldier rose to the occasion.

He said: "These boys played a massive part in the early reconstruction of Iraq. The temperatures took their toll on one or two, but we're all here safe and sound.

"As I told my wife in the Christmas card I sent her, it's just something I had to do."

His wife, Anne, said: "My husband spoke to me, texted me or wrote to me every day, which I was grateful for. But I know he wouldn't have told me if he or his men were in trouble or danger.

"I feel like a child and all my birthdays and Christ-mases have come at once - I'm that excited."

The family were planning a belated Christmas dinner today.

Alison Ravetta, from Abergavenny, said the hardest thing about not having her husband, Staff Sergeant Mark Ravetta, around was learning to be a lone parent.

She said: "We have three sons, and unfortunately Mark missed Alex, our eldest, turning 18. We also had to shelve a planned family holiday in the States.

"Running the family on your own means you have to worry about different things, things you used to share out. We're all really glad to have him back."

Staff Sergeant Ravetta, a 37-year-old vehicle technician, said he was proud of the job he and his colleagues did in Iraq.

He said: "It feels good to be back."