"SHE was my little girl and was only trying to help the people of Iraq".

Those were the words of the devastated mother of Hampshire born Army Private Eleanor Dlugosz yesterday after learning that her daughter was one of the latest British victims in the war torn country.

Pte Dlugosz, 19, was killed on the front line in Iraq alongside three colleagues on Thursday when her Warrior armoured vehicle was target by a roadside bomb set off by insurgents just outside Basra.

As her family began the task of coming to terms with the teenager's death at their home in Swanmore near Southampton, they spoke of their pride at Pte Dlugosz with her mum Sally Veck calling her My action girl'.

Surrounded by Pte Dlugosz grandparents, Ms Veck also told how she had been disgusted at pictures of Iraqis parading her daughter's helmet on television, but said she accepted Eleanor had been in the country to help people.

She said: "There are plenty of innocent people in Iraq, and it was my little girl's job to go out there and help them - not the people we saw on television holding up her helmet.

"There are lots of people around the world who need our help. If it's our job to help them then that's what we should do.

"Eleanor was my beautiful girl. She was the best in every way."

Asked whether her daughter had enjoyed being in the British Army, Ms Veck said: "She loved the army but planned to leave in a few years and become a police officer.

"But she did love her job. She was my action girl. Nothing would stop her from serving her country. Eleanor was doing exactly what she wanted and we are so proud of everything she achieved."

Pte Dlugosz had been serving with the Royal Army Medical Corp when she was killed on Thursday morning alongside Prince William's friend, Second Lieutenant Joanna Dyer, 24, Kingsman Adam James Smith, 19 and Corporal Kris O'Neill, 27.