CHRISTMAS has come early for little Lucy Green following her daddy's safe return from Afghanistan.

For the six-year-old, it's the best present ever to have Lance Sergeant Gareth Green, of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, back on home turf following an arduous tour of Helmand Province.

The 32-year-old, from Killay, is lucky to be back after he was injured when his Mastiff vehicle went over an improvised explosive device (IED) — leading him to be hospitalised for a fortnight.

Sadly a number of fellow soldiers are not returning to their families this Christmas. Mr Green lost seven comrades, including his Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, along with his company commander Major Sean Birchall.

His wife Leanne Green, aged 29, from Mount Pleasant, said it had been a difficult tour as Lucy had become painfully aware of the dangers that her dad faced.

The youngster was diagnosed with the condition, known as central precocious puberty, at just 18 months, leading to the unusually early onset of puberty making her more grown up.

Mrs Green said: "All the times Gareth has gone away before Lucy was a lot younger, but this time around it was a lot harder.

"When the first Welsh Guard died there were flowers placed outside the camp in Aldershot, where we are based. We would have to drive past the flowers to take Lucy to school and she would ask why they were there.

"She would ask all sorts of questions and say if that has happened to them will it happen to my dad?

"She did understand a lot of the time, but it is difficult to explain without frightening a child — you can't lie."

Below: Watch video footage of Gareth Green in Afghanistan

Mrs Green added: "It's a good present for Lucy to have him around now."

Lucy's gran helped to make sure the youngster coped with her dad being away in Helmand Province by sending her stories about him featured in the Evening Post, which she stuck to her fridge.

The six-year-old was also glued to a video of her dad on the Post's website. Mrs Green said she was counting down until her dad came home.

"Lucy had a calendar in her bedroom and crossed off the days until the day it said daddy's home," she said.

But the sales assistant couldn't bring herself to tell her that Gareth had been taken into hospital, after he phoned to say he would be all right.

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The Lance Sergeant was blown from his position on the mastiff and was hurled back into the vehicle cracking his back.

"Everything went through my head — I was just relieved he could talk to me and he had not lost his limbs and he was still Gareth," she added.

Mr Green said he was thrilled to be home with his family.

He added: "I spoke to Lucy on the phone quite regularly and she used to send parcels. It's brilliant to be home.

"It's pretty bad that we have lost quite a few good soldiers and I will feel for their families this Christmas."