THE father of Private Jonathan Lee has told how proud the whole family is of their hero soldier.

"He went to Afghanistan with our blessing. It was his job, it is what he is trained to do," said Brian Lee, who spent three weeks at his son's hospital bedside after he returned from Afghanistan.

Mr Lee and his family endured an anxious wait as his only son underwent three major operations - only to be told that his shattered leg could not be saved.

"I had to be strong for Jonathan. But it was him who telephoned all our relatives to tell them himself what had happened," said warehouseman Mr Lee, aged 52.

He and his wife, Jeanette, also aged 52, who moved to Ladybridge after 25 years in Farnworth, said Jonathan was determined to carry on his career in the Army - including a return to Afghanistan.

"He always wanted to be a soldier. His grandfather and cousins were in the military," said Mr Lee.

Jonathan underwent the tough training at Catterick Camp in North Yorkshire after joining the Army when he left St James's CE Secondary School, Farnworth.

He passed out and joined the 2nd Yorkshire Regiment, stationed near Blackpool.

He completed a tour of Iraq and returned safely before he was sent to Afghanistan.

Mr Lee said: "Of course you always worry about them, but it is what he wanted to do."

Mr and Mrs Lee were told of the landmine blast by Jonathan's aunt.

Jonathan had named his aunt as next of kin in a bid to make it easier for his family to bear if anything happened to him.

"She telephoned to say Jonathan has been in an accident and had broken his legs," said Mr Lee.

They were told he would be coming home.

The next day, they were told he was not stable enough to fly back to Britain and they realised his injuries were worse than they had been told.

On November 8, Jonathan's parents went to the Birmingham hospital where he was being treated.

When they eventually got to see him, a nurse warned them that his injuries were worse than two broken legs.

Mr Lee said: "When we walked round the curtain, it was just a great relief to see him. He was in a lot of pain. There was a bone sticking out of one of his legs."

The Lees then learned of the horror their son had gone through.

Mr Lee said: "Jonathan told me: It shouldn't have been me in the turret, it should have been another guy. I'm glad it was me not him - he is going to be a dad in eight weeks'."

Mr Lee spent three weeks in Birmingham as surgeons fought to save his son's leg. He was told to prepare for the worst, and on November 20, Jonathan's foot and leg below the knee was amputated.

Just before Christmas, he was moved to Headley Court military rehabilitation centre in Surrey, and he was fitted with a prosthetic leg on January 16. He is now spending five days a week learning to walk again.

Mr Lee has praised the Army for the way Jonathan has been treated.

"His unit is based near Blackpool, but they send a driver every week to pick him up from the centre and take him to his aunt's and then do the return trip on Monday.

"Jonathan wants to continue his career as a soldier. He has regained his confidence and now wants to prove to himself that this is not going to ruin his life and that he can do his job.

"Considering where he was eight weeks ago, lying in a hospital bed, he is now up and exercising. He wants to go back to Afghanistan to prove this is not the end."

Jonathan also kept a special date on the calendar last weekend when he returned to Bolton to for his parents' 30th wedding anniversary.

Mr Lee said: "We are extremely proud of him."

See a video of Jonathan at Headley Court at HERE.