Hereford army supporter nominated as nation's mum of the year (From Hereford Times)

Hereford army supporter nominated as nation's mum of the year

8:34am Tuesday 15th December 2009 in News

A Hereford mother who helped wounded soldiers and nursed an amputee son could win the nation’s hearts as “mum of the year”.

Linda Wilson donated clothing, games and equipment to recovering soldiers after her son, Matthew, lost a leg in Afghanistan.

But she could get a big present in return – the Tesco 2010 Mum of the Year title.

Mrs Wilson, aged 41, was picked ahead of 4,000 entries after her daughter, Katie-Lees Wilson, wrote a five page essay. The Army widow from Belmont has now made the final four of the competition, and burst into tears on getting the call.

“Katie has tried to nominate me before, but she really put her heart into it after all that’s happened this year,” said Mrs Wilson.

“I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know how it works but I’m in the final four and that’s amazing.”

Victory would mean a happy ending to a year that ranged from heartbreak to national admiration.

Her son, Lance Corporal Matthew Wilson, lost his leg in the summer after stepping on a Taliban mine.

The pair wanted to raise £500 to provide recovering soldiers at Birmingham’s Selly Oak Hospital with ordinary clothing.

Their August appeal in the Hereford Times raised £9,000 and counting, and has also bought televisions, games consoles and reflex equipment for the military hospital that treated Matthew.

The Rifles soldier is getting used to his second prosthetic leg, and flew to Colorado last Saturday for a skiing holiday.

“I’ve told him I want to cover him in bubblewrap, but he’s walking all the time on his prosthetic leg,” said his mother.

Mrs Wilson starts another campaign in April, when she joins the parents of other fallen Rifles’ soldiers in a fundraiser.

But she faces another potential battle at home – because now her daughter wants to join the Army, too.

Katie, aged 20, probably won’t sign up before her 24th birthday.

Her father, Lance Corporal Steven Wilson, was 23 when he was killed by an IRA bomb while serving in Northern Ireland in 1989, while Matthew was the same age when he stood on the mine that maimed him Mrs Wilson is understandably concerned, but accepts and knows Katie’s decision is “in her blood”.

“I don’t want to lose my children, but I can’t stop them having the career they want,” she said.