War-torn Basra is a long way from Borehamwood but that is exactly where former local boy Paul Bray found himself, in the thick of the action.

Receiving a hero's welcome at his parents home in Alexandra Road, Well End, Mr Bray looked pleased to be back in Britain.

Paul, who grew up in Borehamwood, was called to the Gulf as a Territorial Army Lance Corporal in the Royal Corps of Signals attached to the Seventh Armoured Brigade.

His father Ronald Bray explained that his son turned his life around two years ago after a divorce, and unleashed his daring spirit.

He said: "Paul had been tied down for so long but he's incredibly fit, a bit of an action man. When he got his papers through and was called up, I was just really proud because I knew that was what he wanted to do."

An electrician by trade, Mr Bray was working for an environmental engineering company in Battersea when he was asked to serve for his country in Iraq.

Most unusually for someone with his length of service, Paul had been awarded as top student out of a group of 180 field electricians just a week before his papers came through.

He said despite advance training, the reality of being at war, alongside the famed Desert Rats, was something impossible to prepare for.

He said: "The training we got covers all climates, but the heat in the desert was incredible, personal hygiene became difficult.

"It was a shock when we drove through Basra, it's a horrible way of life. There were people in the streets lying on mattresses and rubbish everywhere."

He said after two months in the desert he felt lucky to get into Saddam Hussein's palace in Basra where the allies had established their communications HQ.

During his four months service, Paul was in regular contact with his father, who explained that as well as doing vital engineering work, his son was also involved in direct combat.

He said: "I asked if he was scared and on one occasion he said they had been.

“It was Paul's shift, looking after the power supply for the HQ when they were attacked by around 300 Iraqi's.

"All troops were called for a 'stand-to', to take their positions and prepare to take aim, and then the SAS were called in.

“Helicopters flew the HQ officers out of the area, but left the electricians where they were."