EXCLUSIVE

by Adam Williams

Kelly Brookes and her two children will be reunited with their hero next week when soldier Stephen Lynn returns from Afghanistan.

Pte Stephen, 24, from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, has been deployed with the Canterbury based regiment in Helmand Province since October.

But, while away, fiance Kelly has been busy preparing a special surprise.

She has planned the couple's wedding day in his absence and will reveal all when Stephen returns to Howe Barracks this weekend. Kelly, 24, hopes her hard work will pay off.

She said: "When he was home for a couple of weeks in November we'd already fixed the date and the church, but he doesn't anything about the rest of the arrangements.

"I hope he likes it all."

Kelly and Stephen met in 2007 and live in Reed Avenue, Canterbury with daughter Ruby, aged four and son James, aged two.

"I was out with a few friends one evening in Bar 11 in Canterbury and he came over and started talking to me with his thick Scottish accent," Kelly recalls.

"I told him I wasn't interested in dating soldiers. I had Ruby who was only four months at the time and that I'd just come out of a long-term relationship.

"But, he'd also recently finished a relationship and wasn't put off. We swapped numbers that night and started dating and getting to know each other soon after.

"I had James quite early in our relationship and he was born in May 2008 while Stephen was halfway through his first tour of Afghanistan. We got engaged on Christmas Day 2009."

The Argylls homecoming parade through Canterbury next month on Thursday, May 12 will be another special day as it marks the couple's four year anniversary.

Kelly and Stephen's wedding day will start at St Thomas' Catholic Church in Burgate, across the road from where they first met, before a reception at Swarling Manor in Petham.

She added: "I've had a lot of help from my parents David and Sharon, my grandparents, Stephen's mum Maud, my younger brother Ben and my sister Zoe.

"My two friends Carly Dunn and Leanne Metcalfe will be bridesmaids with Zoe."

Kelly, a former Herne Bay High school student, is excited to see Stephen home again soon.

She said: "My dad was in the army when I was growing up, so I knew what it would be like living with a soldier.

"But, until they are actually away from home, you don't fully appreciate it.

"This time's been a little easier to deal with being his second tour and the six months have flown by.

"You get yourself into a routine on your own, the kids keep me busy, plus there's also the support from other soldiers' wives and partners.

"Stephen's excited about coming back as James has grown quite a lot since he last saw him."