As most of us wait for news that Baghdad has fallen and the end of the war is in sight, one New Addington mother is hoping her eldest daughter will not be sent into combat from her base in Kuwait.

Lance Corporal Samantha Smith, 22, is serving with the 29th Royal Logistics Regiment in the Gulf, while her mum Debbie Tilley and four sisters Zoe, 18, Skye, six, Grace, four and Mazie, four, anxiously await news at home in New Addington.

In the two weeks since the war started two letters from Sam in Kuwait were the only contact she had with the family, but a brief phone call on Sunday night allayed fears heightened by the intensive media coverage of the war.

Debbie said: "Hearing from her has put my mind at rest. We are all really proud of her but it's not knowing what's happening to her that's the worst thing."

Sam is still based in Kuwait and may be lucky enough not to face combat.

Debbie said: "She was fine. She said it was too dangerous for them to move into Iraq, which I was very happy to hear.

"Her sisters are missing her terribly, because she often takes them out on weekends and looks after them when she's on leave, so they are very close."