A NEWPORT soldier seriously injured by a bomb blast in a series of devastating attacks in Iraq was expected back in the UK today.

The Argus revealed in later editions yesterday how Royal Welch Fusilier Neil Spencer, 23, of Rugby Road, was injured when a car bomb exploded just yards from him in Basra on Wednesday.

He was being flown back from the war-torn country in the early hours and was due to arrive at a military hospital in Birmingham at 8am.

His parents, Tina and John, (pictured) sister Elizabeth Sesevic and her daughter Anna, and other family members, were last night hoping to be able to welcome the fusilier home at his hospital bedside.

John, 45, a car upholsterer, said last night: "He is really looking forward to coming home. He is expected in Birmingham at 8am so we will be driving up to see him.

"Since we found out I have been walking around in a daze at work. We are still in shock.

"Neil has told us the first bomb went off by the police station and as the soldiers ran to help the injured they were getting stones thrown at them.

"Then they saw another car and they ran but it blew them all to bits. He said there were limbs everywhere.

"Neil was training the new Iraqi police when the bombs went off.

"It's an important job because when the coalition forces pull out the Iraqi government will be relying on the police force to look after the country.

"I think the soldiers need to stay there longer as the American and British governments created what is happening. You can't just walk out on it halfway through. We can forsee soldiers staying over a lot longer."

He said his son was not able to tell him much about the conditions in Iraq as he could only use a telephone 30 minutes a week.

Neil, a former pupil of Liswerry Comprehensive School, joined the 1st Battallion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers two years ago and flew to Iraq at the beginning of April, where he was training locals in Basra to be policemen.