A NORTH-East soldier was part of an armed unit that took control of Saddam Hussein's presidential palace in Basra, Southern Iraq, yesterday.

Royal Marine Stuart Lawley, of Darlington, is a member of 42 Commando, who along with the 7th Armoured Brigade, walked into Iraq's second city on Sunday. The troops met no resistance from Iraqi forces.

The 20-year-old was photographed with his rifle inside Saddam's lavish home, which fell to British forces yesterday.

Large parts of Basra are now in British hands, but troops are trying to bring the Iraqi city under complete control.

Last night, Marine Lawley's mother, Linda Lawley, 44, and his younger sister, Rachel, ten, said they were overjoyed he was alive and well.

Mrs Lawley, of Geneva Crescent, Darlington, said she had not slept properly since her son was sent to the Middle East in February.

She said: "The last time I spoke to him was the Friday before war broke out. He said to me 'just remember that I love you and that this is what I want to do', but it does not stop me worrying about him. I was not able to speak to him for long because he was calling on the satellite phones and the reception was bad.

"I have hardly slept at all since he went over, but I just have to keep telling myself that it is what we has always wanted to do. He joined the cadets when he was 13 and always wanted to be in the forces.

"Stuart was not worried when he was sent out to Iraq. He said that it was what he had been trained to do and that it might be a one-off experience for him.

"When I hear on the news that British soldiers have been killed, my heart sinks in case it is him. I am really proud of Stuart, worried, but very proud of him."

Marine Lawley, a former pupil at the town's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form college, gained his green beret in August, after 30 weeks of gruelling training.

He first became interested in the forces when he was a member of the Durham Army cadets and was based at the Territorial Army unit, in Neasham Road, Darlington.

His family said he would be helping boost morale of his fellow marines.

Mrs Lawley said: "I do not think that even Stuart thought that the war would go on as long as this.

"But I know that he will be keeping everyone amused. He has a lot of friends and he is the life and soul of the party.

"Stuart is an entertainer. He will be keeping everybody's spirits up."

08/04/2003