Twenty-one-year-old L/Cpl Taran Cheeseman died on 7th June last year after being flown home, only one day after he arrived to fight, because medical teams suspected he was suffering from a ruptured spleen.

But during a brief stop in Dubai to refuel, Taran, who had been serving with 4th Battalion The Rifles, collapsed unexpectedly and fell into a coma before he was flown back to the UK in a serious condition.

Taran's dad Steven said: "He was due to arrive at Selly Oaks Hospital in Birmingham and we had a call from the medical officers telling us what had happened and saying he was on a ventilator and we should get down there for when he landed."

"When we arrived we were told he had some kind of cancer and his lymph nodes were up in his neck and other places.

"They said when he collapsed they had treated him with steroids and that had caused a tumour to come up in his chest which was poisoning his body.

"We thought he was going to be ok at first, but then his condition began to get worse and we eventually made the decision to switch off his support machines."

Since Taran's death, Steven and his wife Tracey, of Jenford Street, have become involved in an ongoing battle with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to have their son placed on a roll of honour in recognition of his service to the country.

But the MOD has turned down the proposal – claiming Taran died from natural causes and not in combat.

"It's just been a nightmare for us from start to finish," Steven said.

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