The Christmas break was extra special for the Hutchinson family after a dad-of-six was granted annual leave from the front line in Afghanistan.

Territorial Army Corporal David Hutchinson was among the lucky one per cent of soldiers at Camp Bastion who were given the festive period off to spend time with relatives.

His visit home was all the sweeter for wife Dawn, 49, who was also reunited with her son Chris. The 25-year-old spent most of the year facing rocket and machine gun fire in Basra as a Lance Corporal in 4 Rifles.

The family had 12 days together before David, 49, returned to 7 Rifles in the Middle East, today.

One of his first jobs in Basra will be finalising a scheme which will see son Chris joining him on the frontline as a volunteer from early January until April.

His wife is against the idea, but all thoughts of conflict were put to one side during bumper Christmas celebrations at the Hutchinson's homes in Blackbird Leys.

Mrs Hutchinson said: "It has been the best Christmas ever. It was absolutely fantastic - I do not want them to go back.

"It has been really nice having them here, especially for Christmas because I did not know what it was going to be like. Everyone feels the same. They have all been round for drinks with Chris and David. We have never had them away for so long so it has been really great."

Father-of-three Chris joined wife Emma and their three children and 17 other relatives around the dinner table on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

He said: "It has been lovely. It is weird seeing everyone together again, but in a good way.

"Being able to spend Christmas with the family and the kids is a relief. You just hope you get home safe to be with them.

"I think mum and my brothers and sisters are happy and proud that they could spend Christmas with me and dad when they did not know if it would happen."

Wife Emma added: "I am over the moon. I do not want Chris to go away with his dad but at the end of the day I cannot stop him and I am going to stick by him.

"I am a lot happier now he is back and the kids feel better. I have started to put on a bit of weight because I was not eating with the worry."

David added: "I think I am one of the lucky ones. It was probably less than one per cent of the guys from Camp Bastion in Afghanistan who got home for Christmas.

"Chris being here made our Christmas - it definitely made Dawn's.

"It was great - it was definitely the right time of year to be at home."