An Army Air Corps pilot has flown an Apache attack helicopter carrying four Royal Marine commandos strapped to the side in a unique rescue mission.

The mission was launched after Royal Marines from 45 Commando discovered one of their comrades, Lance Corporal Matthew Ford, was missing after attacking a major Taliban stronghold. The 39 year-old pilot, known only as Tom, suggested four personnel could be strapped onto the Apaches so they could land in a Taliban fort.

The four volunteers were Captain Dave Rigg, WO1 Colin Hearn, Marine Gary Robinson and Marine Chris Fraser-Perry. They sat on the Apache's wing stabilisers and fastened themselves to bolted handholds on either side of the aircraft as it flew 100ft above the desert. Another Apache provided covering fire.

Tom said, 'I thought that we'd probably got about two to three minutes at most before the Taliban would realise what was happening."

After three minutesm the Apache came under fire and Tom radioed the Apache hovering above to attack. They managed to recover LCpl Ford but he had been killed by enemy fire in the inital assault.

Brigadier Jerry Thomas, Commander of British Forces, Afghanistan, said, 'The Apaches were judged the best platform for performing the rescue. They are smaller and therefore less vulnerable to incoming fire, faster and carry a formidable array of weapons."