PATRIOTIC British soldiers in Afghanistan will decorate their living quarters with flags instead of fairy lights to lift their spirits this Christmas.

As others deck their halls with boughs of holly the troops will be decorating the barracks with Union flags to remind them of hearth and home.

More than 100 flags have been collected by David Harrison and his partner Jan, of Brookend Lane, Kempsey, near Worcester.

One of the Union flags measures 12ft by 8ft and one of the other large flags is a woollen antique about 10ft by 8ft which the couple reckons is 100 years old.

People have rallied behind our boys, including representatives of the Worcestershire development of the British Youth Movement and people who read the appeal in your Worcester News.

The troops will also get high quality old-fashioned style pin-up postcards, miles of bunting and other flags on jubilee and Olympic themes to remind then of Team GB’s medal haul at London 2012.

David Harrison said: “The response has been amazing and every response we have got through the Worcester News has been fantastic. I think people are passionate about the soldiers and the terrible conditions that they are in. Thank you to all the people who donated. They know who they are and it’s absolutely wonderful. ”

Mr Harrison has 30 boxes which he hopes he can send out on Monday (December 10) in time for Christmas.

The couple has been sending out various packages containing items the troops may need or want including woolly hats, volleyballs and even a paddling pool.

Since they launched the scheme in 2009, they have been trying to send out about 20 boxes a week and always include copies of the Worcester News.

The couple has received letters of thanks from the troops, who have said the parcels raise morale. The decision to send out the flags was a direct response to a request by a soldier who wanted to decorate living quarters to make them “more homely and more British”.