Soldier Kim Hughes gets George Cross medal

The Queen was due today to present a Shropshire soldier with the George Cross medal for the "single most outstanding act of explosive ordnance disposal" recorded in Afghanistan.

The honour, the highest bravery award for valour not in the presence of the enemy, has been awarded to Staff Sergeant Kim Hughes, of Aqueduct, in Telford.

The bomb disposal expert, who is assigned to the Royal Logistic Corps, put himself in extreme danger on three occasions by "manually" defusing a number of devices as he tried to clear a path for five wounded soldiers last summer near the Afghan town of Sangin.

Staff Sergeant Hughes, 30, and his mother, Frances Trask, were­ attending today's ceremony at Buckingham Palace along with his brother and sister-in-law, Lee and Emma Hughes.

Lee is also a bomb disposal expert and came home from Afghanistan four weeks ago.

Waiting to be taken to the palace this morning, Miss Trask said: "I'm just so nervous and excited. Kim is just being Kim, he is still very modest and he is not phased by it one bit. He is just incredible.

"I got my new frock like Kim asked me to and it has just been wonderful since we found out. I came to London yesterday and I had such a lovely time with Kim just walking and talking about what he has done. It has been absolutely fantastic to have that time with him.

"I really haven't taken it all in, I can't comprehend it.

"It's such a massive award and it is nice that he has been recognised but all of the soldiers over there deserve recognition."

The medal is Britain's highest award for gallantry, along with the Victoria Cross, and it is the top bravery award civilians can receive.