A SECOND soldier from the North-East was involved in a Iraq mine blast that cost teenage soldier Christopher Thompson part of his right leg, it emerged last night.

Andrew Hawkes, 21, from Ferryhill, County Durham, was in the same vehicle but escaped with minor injuries and was able to return to duty.

Pte Thompson, 18, of Bishop Auckland - who is known as Chrissy - had to have his right leg amputated below the knee last week, after he was struck by shrapnel.

He was the most seriously injured of four soldiers when the Claymore mine blew up beneath their soft-top vehicle.

The blast happened as troops from the Light Infantry 1st Battalion travelled back to Camp Abu Naji after escort duty in Al Amarah, near Basra.

When Pte Hawkes' parents, Lynn and Stuart, of Lime Road, read about Pte Thompson's injuries in The Northern Echo they immediately offered their support to his family.

Mrs Hawkes said: "Our hearts go out to them. We cried when we saw Chrissy had lost a leg after the explosion.

"Andrew has been asking us to find out about the others, especially Chrissy. They get really close when they're out there together. We will be here for them and will do what we can."

Councillors and neighbours have also sent their best wishes to Pte Thompson's family.

His parents, Tom and Dorothy, of Douthwaite Road, Woodhouse Close Estate, are at his bedside at Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital.

His brother Glen, 26, and sister, Donna, 22, will join them on Saturday.

Mr Thompson, a 46-year-old factory worker, said that he had been touched by the outpouring of sympathy.

"It is very comforting to know people are thinking about Chrissy and the rest of us," he said. "He went into surgery on Monday and things went better than expected. It could even be his last operation, so he can start looking forward to getting a prosthetic limb and physiotherapy.

"It will be a long healing and rebuilding process, but he is a brave lad and has lots of support.

"It certainly helps to know people are there for us and he will be pleased to know the lads in Iraq are thinking of him."