SOLDIER Robert Lord flew back from operations in Iraq for a party to celebrate his mum becoming the Mayor of Pendle.

And Coun Dorothy Lord said the arrival of her son on Mayoral Sunday was "the icing on the cake."

Although he missed the special civic service at St Bartholomew's Church in the morning, as well as the lunch at Colne Municipal Hall, Corporal Lord was able to join the mayoral party at Nelson Town Hall later in the day.

Corp Lord, 25, is in the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers and was posted to Basra, in southern Iraq, two months ago. He is on a six-month tour of duty but was due to come home on leave in September.

It meant he would have missed the ceremonial start of Coun Lord's year in office.

But the mayor's attendant, Jacqui King, had other ideas and decided to try and arrange a surprise visit. She telephoned the Prime Minister Tony Blair's office and from there was told to ring the Ministry of Defence.

And many phone calls later, and after being passed from office to office, Jacqui had to reveal her plans when she was told the only way he might be allowed back was for the mayor herself to ring the compassionate leave department.

Coun Lord, 51, who lives in Earl Street, Colne, with her husband John, 52, said: "I just did not think this would be a good enough reason for them to allow him to come home, but I thought I would regret it if I didn't give it a try.

"After the request, Robert rang me and pretended they would not let him come back. But I got suspicious when he asked what time the service started and what everyone would be wearing on Mayoral Sunday and guessed that he would be coming home."

She said: "It has just been fantastic to have him back to be part of this - I am thrilled to have him here. It is the icing on the cake."

Coun Lord added: "I really have to thank Jacqui for this - it was her idea and she started the ball rolling."

Corp Lord said he was proud of his mum and was pleased to be able to come back. He added: "It is really smashing for her to be made mayor and I am over the moon to be here."

He is now looking forward to spending two weeks with his family and fiancee, Jemma Thornton, before returning to Iraq.