Former soldier Paul Rice has drawn on his 24 years’ Army experience to write a novel set in war-torn Afghanistan although he never served in that country has a soldier.

Mr Rice, 48, spent many years living in Marlborough making his home with Dennis and Hope Cripps and their late son Andrew to whom his book Awakening is dedicated.

The thriller tells the story of contractors working for the allied military in Afghanistan where Mr Cripps carried out security work.

The former St John’s School student was born in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and came to Wiltshire when his mother decided to return.

In September 1977 he joined the Light Infantry and when his family decided to move to Australia, he moved in with the Cripps family.

“It was to be the start of a 30 year relationship with the Cripps family who became, to me, closer than my real family,” said the writer.

Mr Rice lives in Manchester where he runs two businesses doing contract work for companies based in the Middle East and Central Asia.

The first book Awakening is available on websites including Amazon and Mr Rice has a website – www.riceauthor.co.uk –where his books will also be available with a contribution from each sale going to the charity Help for Heroes.