FOUR soldiers escaped unscathed when their armoured vehicle ran over a homemade bomb in Afghanistan.

The men, all from Bicester-based 23 Pioneer Regiment, walked away uninjured after the Taliban bomb exploded beneath their Mastiff troop carrier in Helmand Province.

Vehicle commander Captain Gordon Fletcher said: “After the initial shock of the explosion and the dust cloud in the vehicle had subsided our first reaction was one of disorientation, trying to take in the severity of the event that had just happened, followed by what felt like minutes but most probably seconds of almost silence.

“Due to the size of the explosion we were unsure of the extent of the damage to the vehicle. On further examination the vehicle was able to drive on its own accord out of the contact area.”

The group, from 206 Squadron, were on patrol near Musa Qal’eh in northern Helmand while working as part of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Battlegroup.

Capt Fletcher said much of the soldiers’ survival was down to following basic driving safety tips. He said: “Part of the vehicle training and safety brief covers the wearing of both seat belts and helmets, which ultimately saved the crew from sustaining any major injuries during the blast.

“The Mastiff armoured vehicle affords us great mobility across the desert terrain of Afghanistan, despite its size and weight, and a fantastic platform in which to engage the enemy, giving us unrivalled protection.

“In our opinion the Mastiff saved our lives and is an excellent asset.”

Craftsman Jamie Bewick, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, was driving the vehicle with Capt Fletcher, Staff Sergeant Paul Bingham and Lance Corporal Daniel Rushton as passengers.

He said: “At first you are in a state of shock but then your training kicks in and the priority is the crew, ensuring everybody is uninjured and safe.”

The troops were leading a re-supply convoy of equipment when the bomb exploded on May 17.

Major Jim Mowle, Commander of the Mastiff Group, said “We are lucky to have such a well-protected vehicle to operate from and in this particular case, as has been the case before, the officers and soldiers of Mastiff Group did an excellent job in a hazardous environment, keeping cool heads and at all times acted in the professional manner one would expect.

“Their resolve is incredible and despite this incident they remain as focused on the job in hand as they did on initial deployment.”

Last month, Marine Jason Mackie, 21, from Bampton, was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in was struck by an explosive device. Last September, Didcot-based Warrant Officer Class 2 Gary O'Donnell, of 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, also died while trying to defuse a bomb in Afghanistan.

And Marine Dale Gostick, 22, from Great Haseley, was killed near Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in May 2008.