The mother of a soldier who was killed by a roadside bomb while on a tour of duty in Iraq has revealed his last heartbreaking letter to his family.

Private Leon Spicer, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, died with two colleagues from the 1st Staffordshire Regiment when the bomb exploded on July 16.

An emotional letter, which the 26-year-old wrote to his family in the event of his death, is providing comfort for his parents, 61-year-old Bridie and Chris, sister Nina, aged 27, and brother Gerard, aged 24.

The full letter reads:

"RIGHT if u'r reading this I've gone some where that all of you have'nt. Don't cry cos if u do I'll have a word with GOD and tell him not to let you all in.

"Right then I new what could happen too me but it was my job, and I wanted too do it.

"Remember I LOVE U ALL (u and dad more) ONLY JOKEING. Gerard's the best brother any brother could ask four and as 4 NINA my only sister, I loved her to bits.

"So stop crying cos I am as I write this.

"I've had the BEST LIFE out of any one in the whole world. Right then mom what can I say about u, if I wanted to say everything I would need about 10 million note books but I can put it into 5 words THE BEST MOM IN THE WORLD!! PS I need to count cos I do beleive there where six words.

"Now DAD u'r the BEST DAD IN THE WORLD and I hope u've known it. I love u so much we had everything in comen, but I think I took scouting too far ( ie I JOINED THE ARMY) between u and me we were the only ones that could survive in the woods. I loved everything that u done and wanted to do it from camping to being a leader.

"RIGHT I'm going to bed to tell Grandmar how much I love her she's the best in the world and tell her to look after edey.

"SEE YOU ALL SOON I'LL BE THERE WAITING FOUR YOU ALL.

"Lots of LOVE "LEON xxx

Pte Spicer, of Bream, Tamworth, died along with Pte Phillip Hewitt, aged 21, also from Tamworth, and Second Lieutenant Richard Shearer, aged 26, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Mrs Spicer, a data input clerk, said she broke down when she read the letter, which was written a week before he was sent to Iraq in May.

"It was so sad but, at the same time, such a comfort," she said. "It was lovely to know there was so much love there. We knew that anyway but it is extra special he put it down in writing himself."