A HERO sqaddie carried an injured soldier for an hour and a half back to safety after he had been shot by a Afghan sniper.

Guardsman Nathan Wybrow was shot by a sniper in the right leg leaving him stricken and lying in agony under the heat of the Afghanistan sun.

With the fierce fire fight raging around him, Nathan's army training kicked in and he frantically tied a makeshift tourniquet around his by now heavily bleeding right leg.

Fighting to cling on to consciousness, he knew time could be running out.

But it was then Danny Patterson proved more than just an army mucker - but a real-life Boy's Own hero who heaved his injured comrade over his shoulder and carried the burly soldier for an hour and a half back to camp.

Today, as the Coldstream Guardsman from North Shields modestly shrugged off his bravery, tributes were paid to his courage.

The two soldiers were on a foot patrol north of Base Keenan in the notorious bandit country of Helmand Province when they were ambushed by Taliban soldiers.

Danny, 21, says: "We were out on patrol looking for the enemy and we were about 2km north of camp when it happened.

"We got so far when they started firing at us. We were trying to win the fire fight then Nathan got hit. He had been shot in the leg.

"We managed get out of the fire fight but there were no vehicles around to escape in."

Nathan, 19, was bleeding heavily and unable to walk. It was too awkward for all of the soldiers to carry their wounded friend, so brave Danny took action.

He gave Nathan, who weighed 15 stones while wearing his body armour, a fireman's lift and made a desperate dash back to camp to help save the shot soldier's life.

"They were firing at us from left to right, said Nathan.

"It was about ten minutes into the fire fight when I got shot. I was bleeding heavily. The bullet went into my right leg.

"It came in the left side and went straight through the right side.

"I put on a tourniquet to stem the bleeding as there was a risk of me dying or losing my leg.

"I had to get back to the base quickly."

Though his friend was heavy, Danny was fuelled on adrenaline, and managed to get them both back safely after an hour-and-a-half journey.

"He is a big lad, about 6ft, and weights 13 stone but with his body armour, he weighed about 15 stone, so he was quite heavy," explained Danny.

"Nathan was really grateful to me.

"As soon as we got back to the UK this week he bought me a couple of pints."

Both soldiers were serving with 3 Company, Ist Battalion Coldstream Guards, who have spent six months fighting the Taliban from Forward Operating Base Keenan in the Upper Gereshk Valley.

The base is in volatile Helmand province's green zone which has been the scene of fierce fighting between UK troops and elements of the Taliban.

The battalion, which recruits from the North of England, returned home from Afghanistan this week to their regimental home of Windsor.

Nathan said: "I am very grateful to Danny.

"He saved me and saved my leg."

Danny had only been in Afghanistan for three weeks when the incident happened on November 10.

It was his first tour of duty abroad.

He joined the 1st Battalion eight months before he was sent to Afghanistan.

Danny said: "You got scared but you just had to try and get rid of it and put it to the back of your mind.

"We are good on morale, so I would go and see the other lads, and we would try and keep happy.

"I am relieved to be back now though, big time."

His parents, Margy Patterson and Gary Craggs, are also happy he is home.

He says: "My family were relieved I got home safely."