A TEENAGE soldier from Kidderminster who has spent only three weeks with her husband since they married in January will celebrate her 19th birthday without him in Kuwait.

Former King Charles High School pupil Leanne Coleman fulfilled a childhood dream when she joined the army two years ago.

The radio-signals operator with 261 squadron was sent on her first posting abroad to Umm Qsar in Iraq in April and is currently based in Kuwait Port.

The bubbly 18-year-old, who deals with radio communications, married 20-year-old Ben Coleman, from Holmfirth in Yorkshire, in January.

Ben is a soldier in the same unit as her at Aldershot and was sent on a peace-keeping mission to Kosovo three weeks after they married.

He did not return until Leanne was due to leave for Iraq.

Leanne's mother Lin Birch, who works in Wyre Forest District Council's financial services department, said the family had sent some treats to Kuwait so Leanne could have a birthday party without them on Monday.

She said Leanne's husband and 12-year-old brother were missing her most.

"She's quite a bubbly person so we're all missing her, but hopefully she'll be home for Christmas.

"I've sent a box of goodies out for her, like bottles of pop, fairy cakes and crisps so she can have a party over there."

Mrs Birch, of Belvedere Close, Kidderminster, said pop would be a treat for her daughter who only has access to drinking water.

"She's doing a good job and we're all really proud of her and what she's done since she left school," she added.

"Leanne has wanted to join the army since she was eight - it's all she ever wanted to do.

"She went over to Iraq towards the end of the war and it was a relief when the war stopped.

"We've had two or three letters a week but only one phone call since she's been there."

Leanne, who was in the combined cadet force at King Charles, was posted to Kuwait two weeks after reaching Umm Qsar.

Mrs Birch said her daughter had found a huge difference between Kuwait and Iraq.

"She said Kuwait is a really rich country but Iraq has nothing, and they're so close together you wouldn't think there was such a difference."