FIREWORKS and emotional scenes welcomed the men and women of the 1st Battalion the Royal Horse Artillery when they arrived back at their Tidworth home last night after six gruelling months in Iraq.

Not even the rain could dampen the joy felt by the families as the 160 soldiers embarked from the three coaches that had brought them back home after their flight from Iraq to Brize Norton.

Wives, girl-friends, children, parents and grandparents all ran forward to greet them as fireworks exploded overhead, lighting up the "welcome home" banners strung between the barrels of the huge guns parked around the parade ground.

There were tears of joy, kisses and hugs as the soldiers found their loved ones among the swarming mass of people that rushed towards the coaches.

The 160 men and women were attached to Chestnut Troop and B Battery, operating the gun line and three of the massive AS90 self-propelled guns defending the British camp at Basra airport.

Later they transferred to the role of infantry and worked with Iraqi town councils and the security forces to help improve the security and living conditions of local people.

Their Commanding Officer, Lieut Col Simon Humphrey was unable to return with his troops as he remains in Iraq completing the hand-over.

But, Captain Alex Gray, said the six-month tour of duty had been "tough" manning the guns 24 hours a day, seven days a week.