A YOUNG soldier from Hampshire has won a bravery award after she saved a badly wounded squaddie hit by a Taliban bomb in Afghanistan.

Despite coming under attack, Private Emily Tomkins kept her cool and tended to the soldier who had lost both his legs.

The Army combat medic stemmed his blood loss then helped drag him to safety.

Emily, of 4 Medical Regiment, was awarded a Mention in Despatches.

The 21-year-old from Hamble told the Echo how she was had been patrolling along with the Grenadier Guards as they resupplied a checkpoint which had run out of food.

Then one of the troops triggered an improvised explosive device which ripped off his legs, as well as badly injuring his arm.

Emily said: “I was not sure if we were being attacked because I was concentrating on my guy.

“My training was kicking in and I wasn’t really thinking about myself. I knew what I had to do.”

With both legs blown off, she had make sure the injured solider would not bleed to death by attaching tourniquets to stop any blood loss.

She then fitted a splint to his pelvis and bandaged his arm.

She added: “It didn’t faze me whatsoever.”

But it was her unflappable patient that impressed her more than her own bravery.

After being refused more morphine amid fear of overdosing, he quipped that she should flash her chest to help relieve his pain.

She said: “He was in a brilliant mood. It was the worst situation to be making a joke.”

The patient was then taken away by a Chinook helicopter, but Private Tomkins had little time to reflect on what had happened, as soon after she had to help soldiers who were suffering from heat exhaustion in the 50C temperatures.

On winning the honour, she said she was pleased that Army medics were recognised, but said her grandma, Iris Harvey, had “burst into tears”

when she heard the news.

“She is really proud,” Emily added.