Lieutenant Heather Harman, 26, was cheered and welcomed home by her family.

She said: “I really enjoyed being out there but I did not find it particularly scary.

“Even when people were clapping us down the street you feel like you do not deserve it.

“We do not see ourselves as heroes, we are just doing our jobs.”

Her mum Veronica Harman, 55, from Cirencester, said: “It is pretty horrible when she is away.

“Even though you know she is going to be all right, there is still a bit of you that worries about her.

“I am glad she is back – you only realise how tense you are when they come back.”

Lt Harman said she was happy to back for Christmas.

She said: “It is freezing here and my body cannot cope with the cold.

“It was my first time there, but some of the soldiers have been out for Christmas before and they say it is not very nice.”

She added: “Six months is such a long time and but you have a different family around you there.”