Hero soldier races across minefield to catch insurgent laying explosives

Irish Guardsman Lewis Wilby was weighed down by more than 60lb of kit when he spotted the insurgent laying improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the village of Rahim Kalay in the Upper Gereshk Valley, Afghanistan.

The bomber immediately fled and Guardsman Wilby sprinted after him across uncleared ground where IEDs were known to have been laid.

The 26-year-old, who is originally from Wakefield, but whose family are now based in Neston, Cheshire, found him hiding in a compound nearby, the MoD said.

Insurgents had been under surveillance and were watched overnight as they laid IEDs.

The Taliban sympathiser, who could have caused the deaths of many soldiers or Afghan civilians, is now facing life in prison following the incident last month.

During the operation one of the insurgents was detained immediately when Guardsman Joshua Gibbins, 20, and Guardsman Lewis Done, 20, threw themselves at him, wrestling him to the ground.

Guardsman Wilby then gave chase to the other insurgent.

He said: “The adrenaline was pumping as we chased them to a compound but it was so satisfying when we detained the insurgent and took him to be arrested.

“I had to run through an IED belt which is not something I want to try again – but I made the judgement that, by watching carefully the route that the insurgent took, and following it as closely as possible, I would be OK. Knowing I got a guy who has laid IEDs to try to kill us makes me happy.”