AN EAST Lancashire soldier has lost both his legs after stepping on explosives in Afghanistan.

But brave Gregg Stevenson, 24, is determined not to be depressed about his plight and has vowed to try to return to the front line fitted with a pair of prosthetic legs.

And the Pendle soldier, who worked for two years for an Accrington charity, is also thankful his injuries were not worse – and believes his vital organs were project by his tall 6ft4in frame.

He has been hailed a hero by a mayor and Royal British Legion officials who said it reminded everyone of the sacrifices soldiers made.

Gregg, a green beret army commando with an elite regiment, was in Helmand Province on foot patrol looking for mines and explosives on the front line.

For security reasons Gregg cannot go into detail about what happened, but on Friday, March 6 he stood on a Taliban improvised explosive device.

Both his legs were blown off below the knee caps and he also lost the top of his left index finger.

He said: “I was lucky that I was so tall. Because I was 6ft 4 the explosive missed my vital organs.

“It wasn’t really a shock that it had happened. My job was to look for mines and explosives on the front line so I knew the dangers involved.

"I’m staying positive and just trying to get back on with my life as normal.

“My family were upset and saddened when they were told what had happened but they knew I wasn’t over in Afghanistan doing a desk job.

“I’m not going to let this stop me.”

It was Gregg’s first tour duty in Afghanistan during his three years in the army.

He is a commando with the 24 Engineer Regiment, an elite Devon-based batallion that supports the Royal Marines.

Gregg, a former Colne Park High School pupil, was just two weeks from the end of a six-month stint.

He said he owed his life to his comrades who took carried from the front line to be treated by army medics at the Camp Bastion hosptial.

Gregg was flown back to England two days after the blast to be treated at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, which is the country’s main treatment centre for injured soldiers. He was discharged last Friday and has spent this week at home in Foulridge.

He is due to start treatment at Headly Court rehabilitation Centre in Surrey on Monday, where he will undergo physiotherapy in order to have prosthetic legs fitted.

The army has provided Gregg with an electronic bed and a wheelchair in the meantime.

He said: “The first few weeks were really intensive. I can’t really remember much because I was having a lot of operations and knocked out for most of it.

“It is really hard but joining the army is the best thing I have ever done. There is so much camaraderie. We have a real laugh.”

“It’s pretty scary when you first go on the front line but after a while you just get used to it, just like any other job.

“My unit are going back over there in 12 months and I’m hoping to go back with them. It’s my job and I want to carry on with it.

“The army has said that I have a job open for me so my aim is to try and get back within 12 to 18 months, when I have made a full recovery.

“My job is based on the front line and I really hope to be able to get back there if I can.”

Coun Shelagh Derwent, mayor of Pendle, paid tribute to Gregg’s bravery.

She said: “I am sure the whole of the borough is proud of him and I hope we can help him.

"I think people don't realise how much credit we should give to these people. They are very noble and brave.

"We have to be grateful there are people out there willing to do the job and I wish him all the best.

"I just hope he's going to be looked after.”

Bryan Thompson, of the East Lancashire Royal British Legion, said: "Words can't describe what these young men have to go through.

"It really is dreadful. Now he needs to be with people who are familiar with the difficulties he's facing."

Help For Heroes

GREGG has pledged to raise cash for Help for Heroes.

The charity was launched in October 2007 by a group of friends and service relations who wished to do something for the wounded coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Co-founder Bryn Parry, who served in The Royal Green Jackets for 10 years, helped with the set up the charity with wife Emma.

They called on the people of the UK to show their support for ‘our blokes’ and to do so by ‘doing their bit’.

So far, more than £17million has been raised through charity events such as marathons, mountain climbs, and even sponsored pie eating.

Now Gregg is planning to contribute.

Gregg, who worked as a care worker in Accrington for young adults with autism, before joining the army, said: “We want to do something a bit outrageous for Help for Heroes.

"It seems appropriate to do something that reflects the camaraderie in Afghanistan.

“My father was in the Army and I was born in an army base so I knew all about the army before I joined. I wanted to join at 16 but my mum wanted me to wait until I was 21.”

Gregg said he also wanted to thank staff at Selly Oak Hospital and all his family and friends for their ‘awesome’ support.

Gregg’s brother Neil, 27, said: “Gregg has been really positive about everything. We have been out and about a lot since he has been back. This won’t slow him down.”

Soldiers in Afghanistan

BRITISH and US troops have been in Afghanistan since October 2001 after the Taliban regime refused to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

He had been held responsible for the 9/11 attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000.

To date a total of 152 British service personnel have been killed in the country since operations began, and many more have been seriously wounded.

The death toll has increased drastically since 2006 when troops moved into Helmand Province and were confronted by increasing numbers of roadside bombs.

According to officials, ambushes using improvised explosive devices, sniper fire and grenades have reached record levels.

Some 800 attacks a month have been reported compared to 600 last year.

Operations taking place in Helmand Province are intended to drive out the Taliban and disrupt heroin supply, with the area believed to be supplying 90 per cent of the world’s opium.

The British military had been carrying out operations with the Afghan Army to show that the Afghan government, backed by coalition forces, are in control of their country.