A WORCESTER mother with her two children welcomed home her husband from the dusty plains of Afghanistan yesterday.

Zoe Smith anxiously waited for Lance Corporal Wayne Smith at Palace Barracks, near Belfast in Northern Ireland.

He was among 70 troops from the 2nd Batallion Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) who arrived home after a sixmonth tour of duty in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province.

Their three-year-old son David and six-year-old daughter Sarah stood frantically waving their union flags as their father marched from the coach after flying in to Aldergrove.

“It has not sunk in yet. It’s a bit overwhelming,” said L/Cpl Smith.

"I had a warning there was going to be a surprise so I kind of guessed they would be here but I was very anxious. I just wanted to get down here and see them.”

His 58-year-old father Charles, known to friends as Chas, had got the ferry over from England to see his 26-year-old son return.

Fighting back the tears, he said: “It’s fantastic. I can go home happy now as he is home and safe.”

Mrs Smith, aged 23, said: "It’s been hard but it has been good having the time away because it means you’re closer when they come back.

“The last few months, however, have been really worrying.”

L/Cpl Smith was one of 400 Mercians deployed to the war-torn region in March.

The group yesterday was the second wave to come home. The remaining troops will be home by the end of October.

During this summer’s Operaton Panther’s Claw soldiers saw some of the fiercest fighting since the Second World War.

The battalion lost five men including 23-year-old private Jason Williams, of Sunnyside Road, Barbourne, Worcester, and Private Robbie Laws, of Bromsgrove.

Twenty soldiers were also seriously injured.

Among the injured is 23-year-old private Daniel Brown, from Dines Green, Worcester, who was flown home four weeks ago after losing the sight in his right eye.

He was there to greet his comrades yesterday.

He said: “When I came back my wife Amy and nine-month-old daughter Lyra were waiting for me.

“It was great but Lyra didn’t recognise me at first, which was hard.”

Captain Ed Brown, 26, from Tenbury Wells, said: “Afghanistan has been such a big part of my life for two years and now I’m back it is a bit of a comedown.

“I’m looking for the next big adventure.”

The troops will return home to their families over the next few days and spend time catching up with loved ones.