A Birkenshaw soldier badly injured in an explosion in Afghanistan which killed his friend has been reunited with his family.

Private Matthew Light, son of Kirklees Council Tory leader Councillor Robert Light, was flown out of Camp Bastion to Birmingham on Friday night where he was reunited with his parents and sisters.

The 19-year-old had been leading a foot patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district with Afghan National Security Forces when he suffered shrapnel wounds in the blast two weeks ago.

His friend Private John King, 19, who was walking next to him, was killed by the Improvised Explosive Device, which went off as the patrol came under fire from insurgents around the village of Llara Kalay.

Speaking after being reunited with his son, Coun Light said: “It was an emotional night.”

On Sunday, while Pte Light’s mother Sharon stayed with him in hospital, Coun Light travelled back home so his daughters Jessica and Rebekah could go to school as normal on Monday morning.

“She didn’t want to let him out of her sight,” Coun Light said.

In the aftermath of the blast, surgeons at Camp Bastion managed to save Pte Light’s legs. He had a number of operations to clear and clean shrapnel from his wounds but is still deaf in one ear.

Now doctors from Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, which specialises in battlefield injuries, will continue to monitor the soldier’s rehabilitation.

Coun Light said: “The first word from the hospital is that they are pleased with his legs. They closed up the wounds before he left Camp Bastion and the doctors in Birmingham are happy with that.

“We’re still not sure about his hearing though.”

Pte Light was halfway through a six-month tour of Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment when he was caught up in the blast.

Being in the Army had been a childhood ambition for the former Batley Air Cadets member.

He joined the forces at just 16 after leaving Dixons City Academy in Bradford and going to Harrogate Army College. He was posted to Munster, Germany, two years ago.

Coun Light was hoping to drive his son back home to Birkenshaw last night once given the all-clear by doctors.

He said: “He’ll be recovering at home. We’re not sure how long it’ll take but it’ll certainly be months and he will be having various check-ups at military medical centres. We’ll see what happens from there.”