A DOG handler who survived a grenade attack in Iraq is back in a war zone with her four-legged friend.

Lance Corporal Deborah Caffull, from Ledbury, is on patrol in Afghanistan just six months after an attack left her and three others needing treatment.

But she’s got familiar company – springer spaniel, Pip, who survived the incident unharmed.

The pair are working with infantry soldiers in Lashkar Gah, provincial capital of the war-torn Helmand Province.

Tasked to stop and search passing vehicles for explosives, 24-year-old Lance Corporal Caffull is aware of the risks, having experienced them first-hand.

“Last November I was out on a hearts and minds project in Iraq when a grenade was thrown into the vehicle,” she recalls.

“Four of us were wounded – I took shrapnel in my hand, arm and leg – but, amazingly, my dog was untouched.” Lance Corporal Caffull, who is part of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, returned home following hand surgery, but was soon reunited with Pip.

Pip is an arms and explosives search dog and a vital part of the team. With his amazingly sensitive nose, he can search a vehicle far quicker than any human, and is also popular with the kids.

“They’re constantly asking questions about what I’m doing. They are very interested,” said Lance Corporal Caffull.

Soldiers are often surrounded by small groups of children, eager for handshakes and pens, highly desired in this poor region.

But Helmand is also a Taliban stronghold. Lance Corporal Caffull admits to some anxiety, but knows that finding arms and explosives is crucial for the future of the region.

“I am sometimes anxious when I go out on the ground,” she admits.

“But I know that if we are doing our jobs properly, then perhaps we can find this stuff before it is planted or used against us.” 4 Pip, the other half of the team.