Speaking for the first time since Trooper Christopher Whiteside was killed in a roadside bomb in Helmand Province, Diane Whiteside described her son as someone who lived for his life in the Army.

The proud mum told The Gazette if her son – a 20-year-old member of The Light Dragoons – had been told he would die in Afghanistan alongside friends from his platoon, he would have still gone to fight for his country anyway.

An emotional Mrs Whiteside, 41, from South Shore, said: "Chris was my angel. He was my baby.

"He was always a good boy, never went through the dreaded teens and he had wanted to be in the Army since he was 13. He lived for it.

"If he had known something bad was going to happen he would have gone anyway. He went with a smile on his face and his friends said he was a born leader, leading from the front."

Trooper Whiteside was killed last Tuesday while on patrol in Helmand Province. He was one of 15 British soldiers to have been killed in 10 terrible days in Afghanistan.

Mrs Whiteside said she had always tried not to think about the risks of her son's chosen career. "I used to switch off," she said.

"When the news came on that a soldier had died, I tried not to listen."

Tragically, Mrs Whiteside's worst fears were confirmed last week.

"We were devastated when we were told," she said. "You see it on the TV and you don't think it will happen to your son."

Trooper Whiteside, a passionate Leeds United fan who also loved rock band Iron Maiden, was a former pupil at Highfield High and Roseacre Primary School.

He was a talented fencer who had been told by the Army he had the ability to compete in the Olympic Games. He picked up the nickname "speedy" for his quick swordsmanship.

His Army dream began at 13 after speaking to a careers officer at school. He signed up to the Territorial Army at its Blackpool base on Waterloo Road before then joining the The Light Dragoons.

His tour of Afghanistan was Trooper Whiteside's first and his family said serving his country overseas filled him with pride.

Tragically his final words to his mother and stepfather Malcolm Pearce were "I'll see you in September".

Despite the now raging debate over British troops' continued role in Afghanistan, sparked by the horrendous death toll, both Mrs Whiteside and Mr Pearce said they did not question the UK's role in Afghanistan.

"We pray all Chris's colleagues and servicemen out there will all return home safely, be able to go out and have a drink for Chris," Mr Pearce said.

But he did have words for politicians. The 42-year-old added: "The lads are out there fighting for our country and dying and the politicians are scoring points off each other.

"They need to unite together instead of behaving like schoolkids."

Mrs Whiteside, who has been supported by her friends and family including Christopher's brother Daniel, her sister Rosalin Gibson and her parents Marjorie and David Evans, thanked her son's colleagues for their many heartfelt tributes.

Trooper Whiteside will receive full military honours at his funeral. A date is yet to be set for the service.