A YOUNG Trowbridge man is among the marine commandos charged with flushing out al-Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan.

The mission is 19-year-old Logan Smith's first since becoming a member of the 45 Royal Marine Commando eight months ago.

His mother, Susan Smith, said: "He seems very calm about it and is actually anxious to get on with his job.

"I am worried but I wouldn't want him to do something else because he wouldn't be happy.

"He has chased his dream and he has got there I'm very proud of him."

She and her husband, Colin, and two daughters, Shanna, 17, and 10-year-old Sasha, last heard from Logan on Monday, March 18, and can now only follow the news of what is happening in Afghanistan.

Her son wanted to join up when he left The John of Gaunt School in Trowbridge at the age of 16.

His parents felt he was too young so, instead, he did a two-year public service course at Trowbridge College, joining up at 18.

He is one of the few who managed to complete the gruelling training at Lympestone in Devon before being stationed at Arbroath, Scotland.

In September last year he was among the soldiers sent on a desert training course to Oman.

His family don't expect to see him again until August.

Mrs Smith said: "He will be spending another birthday away from home. Last year he spent it in a ditch on Salisbury Plain."

The 1,700-strong force are widely seen as the best for the tough job that lies ahead of them, but defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, warned this week that there could be casualties.