"WELCOME home our hero."
That was the cheer from family, friends and comrades to Grenadier Guard Ryan Rowbottom who was the toast at a family barbecue at home in Holton-le-Clay.
As reported, Ryan suffered a serious leg injury when his armoured personnel carrier was struck by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
The blast in an area of the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province on September 14, killed his vehicle commander Lance Corporal Duane Groom.
At the welcome home celebration, Ryan and his family thanked the medical teams at Camp Bastion and at the Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital in Birmingham where the Guardsman was treated. They all thanked the supporters of troops charity Help For Heroes for also providing their son with some essentials after he landed back in the UK from Afghanistan.
A large hamper including footwear, clothing and toiletries is given to each returning serviceman or woman.
Money raised by Help For Heroes charity in North East Lincolnshire, The Pink Berets, goes to support the national charity to help injured troopers like Ryan.
The 22-year-old said: "I am grateful to all of them. I am pleased to be back with my family. I can't wait to get back on my motocross bike and get riding again."
The fatal blast came on Ryan's second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Due to his incapacity, he and partner Fay Ellison had to give up their home in George Street, Cleethorpes and move into his family's home in Holton-le-Clay.
Everyone feared he would lose his lower leg, but thanks to surgery Ryan is now walking without the aid of crutches.
He returns to Hedley Court, the military rehabilitation centre, in Surrey for further treatment this week.
Mum Jenny said: "You don't often hear about those who come back injured.
"It is usually just the fatalities you read about.
"I am pleased he is okay and he is here with his family and friends. He has got all his limbs. He will be himself again. But some won't be coming back."
She is also helping to nurse her other son Reece's injured left leg which was damaged in an accident at Catterick barracks, where the 17-year-old is training to be a paratrooper.
Their dad Nigel, 53 said he was grateful to the military medical teams for their care for Ryan.
He said: "It was horrendous to get the news. It was a nightmare.
"But we are pleased he is back on his feet. Time will tell how it improves. It is his first day without crutches and he is doing well. We thought he was going to lose his leg."
The family recalled Ryan signing up into the Guards in 2008 with Grimsby's Sergeant Matthew Telford, who was later killed by a rogue Afghan policeman in November 2009, along with Cleethorpes Guardsman Jimmy Major.
Nigel said: "It's massive thanks to all the medics and teams who have looked after him."
Fay said: "We always planned this welcome home barbecue. They were talking about him not being able to walk for a year to 18 months, but he is back walking again, so we are all really pleased."
Having returned safely from their tour of Afghanistan, several of Ryan's comrades from the Grendier Guards travelled from different parts of the UK to join Ryan and his family.
Many of them will be attending Remembrance Sunday services.
