A proud Bradford father fought back tears as he told how his 19-year-old soldier son lost both legs from above the knee in an explosion while serving on his first tour of Afghanistan.

Sapper Benjamin Lee was on the second day of searching for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) when he triggered the blast by stepping on a mine made by the Taliban, in Helmand Province.

He also suffered a broken pelvis, internal injuries and damage to his arms and hands and spent three weeks in a critical condition.

The former Yorkshire Martyrs Catholic College pupil, who lives with his father Trevor, mother Julie and younger brother Joshua, is now being treated in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, as he further recovers.

His father, of Odsal, told the Telegraph & Argus how proud he was of his son, who serves with the Royal Engineers and was injured in September.

Mr Lee, 56, said: “He had been out there for a couple of months and it was the second day on the job when it happened.

“He stood on the IED. He spent three weeks in critical care. It was touch-and-go until he came out of that critical ward.

“His girlfriend Stacey Taylor is down there with him most of the time – she’s like a rock for him.

“From what injuries he has had, he’s doing really well – he’s coping with it.

“If you go down to hospital to see somebody they try to be cheerful but you don’t know what trauma they are going through.”

Mr Lee said his son, who also supports Miss Taylor’s 11-month-old son Kaden, was able to get around using a wheelchair and was now waiting to be provided with prosthetic limbs.

He said: “We still have our bad days – more good days than bad days now.

“I couldn’t have spoken to anybody eight weeks ago, but it’s the community down there that helps you talk about it.

“I wouldn’t want anybody to go through all that.

“I’m still proud of him for what he’s done. As soon as he came round he said ‘did any of my mates get hurt?’”

Mr Lee, a warehouse operative for delivery service Hermes, said this week’s Remembrance services would be more poignant than usual for his family. He said: “I’ve always done it with my dad, I have always gone out with my father on Remembrance Sunday – he joined the RAF in 1947 for National Service.

“I think it will be a bit more poignant this year. We will be down there for Remembrance Sunday.”

Buttershaw Lane Working Men’s Club has organised a fundraising event for Sapper Lee on Saturday, December 3.

Committee member Peter Gurney said: “We are aware of the economic problems faced by everyone at this time, however, we are contacting local businesses, organisations and sports clubs, to ask for donations of any kind, to raffle, auction or in any way contribute to Benjamin’s future.”

e-mail: james.rush@telegraphandargus.co.uk