Now the 23-year-old of Backhold Lane, Siddal, Halifax, has been told he is to be deployed in Afghanistan for the first time as soon as Septem- ber.

He said: "It's exciting. I didn't think I'd see action quite so soon but this is what we train for so I'm absolutely ready for it."

The former Holy Trinity Senior School pupil had to go through eight months of training – the longest military course imposed by any country in Nato – which included six mile assault courses and runs, shooting sessions, 30 mile marches across Dartmoor and aerial training.

He was one of only 12 out of 54 soldiers who started the commando training to complete it.

He was given the elite green beret at a passing out ceremony in Lympstone, Devon, in front of friends and family including mum Susan, dad Robert, and fiancee Donna Ferguson.

"It's hard work but it has to be to get you into the kind of condition you need to be in," he said.

He is yet to be told where exactly his unit, 42 Commando, will be deployed or for what purpose.