LANCE Corporal Terry Barber-McLean is helping to train and mentor the Afghan National Army, as a member of 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards).

The 27-year-old is originally from the Scarborough area and now lives in Weeton, Lancashire. He wanted to send best wishes to his wife Rebecca, 24, and children, four-year-old Shyan, three-year-old Nina and one-year-old Preston.

The rest of his family still live in the Scarborough area, including mother Anne, dad David, brothers Douglas, Douggie and Simon, as well as his grandparents.

In a message directly to them, he said: “Hi to all. I am missing you all at Christmas. All is safe and well and I will be back home soon.”

As a youngster he lived with his grandparents in Hunmanby before moving to Leeds.

They later moved back to Scarborough and he attended Bridlington College. He said: “I joined the Green Howards in Scarborough. I had tried jobs in Civvy Street until I was 21. I had nowhere and then I joined the Army.”

From The Scarborough Evening News on Monday, December 24, 2007.