A SOLDIER who braved bullets and gun battles with the Taliban returned home to learn that he had a rare form of cancer.

Jonny Mitchell, whose wife Lisa Mitchell is pregnant with their first child, completed two tours of Iraq and served in Afghanistan and Canada.

But just months after returning home the 26-year-old was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - a rare illness that affects just 200 people in the UK.

Jonny, who has been stationed with the 39th Regiment Royal Artillery at Albemarle Barracks, Harlow Hill, Northumberland, for more than five years, returned from duty in October.

He spent seven months in Basra where he worked as a mechanic.

However, just two weeks ago he began suffering flu-like symptoms and was rushed to hospital after bouts of sickness.

Jonny, who lives with wife Lisa, 26, who is expecting the couple's first child in five weeks, said: "I wasn't scared when I was fighting in Iraq, I'm trained to be a soldier.

"But I'm not trained to have cancer and the thought of leukaemia is terrifying.

"When I was told it was cancer I remember thinking that the doctors and the chemotherapy we have in this country are incredible so I know I will receive the best treatment.

"But when I heard it was leukaemia it hit me quite hard.

"They were 99 per cent sure it was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma but it turns out I'm the one per cent.

"I just started having flu-like symptoms, the exact same thing as a little bug, with tiredness and sweating.

"When I was called in to have the biopsy they checked my blood levels and within 10 minutes they said it was acute lymphoblastic leukaemia."

Jonny and Lisa discovered they were to be parents at the end of September and she is due to give birth in just over a month's time.

The soldier underwent his first course of chemotherapy this week and is facing more than six months of treatment.

The illness is so aggressive that Jonny must wait five years before doctors can say with certainty that he has beat it into remission.

Lisa, who works as a team manager for a company also based at Harlow Hill, said: "At first I was scared because it's a terrifying thing to be told.

"But seeing how positive Jonny has been has calmed my nerves.

"I know he's strong because he's a soldier, but this is a different kind of scary.

"When he's on tour that's his job and he's trained to do that, but there's nothing that can prepare you for this."