Teenage Gloucestershire Rifleman Kyle Baker is facing the fight of his life after being shot in Afghanistan.

Kyle became "a shining example" to other youngsters after getting involved in a youth group close to his home.

But last week the 18-year-old former Wyedean pupil whose boyhood ambition was to join the Army was shot just a month after being posted to Afghanistan.

The seriously injured Sedbury teenager, one of four brothers, was flown back to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham on Friday night.

Mum Rachel is at the bedside of her son who remains stable but "very seriously ill" in the critical care unit of the hospital.

Dad James and twin brother Ben have also been to see Kyle who yesterday was undergoing his third operation for abdominal injuries.

Fifteen-year-old brothers Jarrad and Connor, also twins, are staying with relatives.

Brave Rachel, who works at Tesco in Chepstow, said: "Kyle has made a slight improvement but there's still a long journey ahead.

"They are reducing the sedation and the idea is that he will wake up slowly.

"Kyle is a fighter and knowing him, we can only hope that he bounces back from this. All we can do at the minute is take it one day at a time."

Kyle was brought up on an estate near Beachley Barracks where he was a member of the cadet force.

"He's wanted to be in the Army since he was little," said Rachel. "He was really into the cadets and helping the local community.

"It was his decision to join the Army and I've always backed my sons 100 percent in whatever they wanted to do."

The Army said Kyle, who was posted to Afghanistan on October 8, suffered a single gunshot wound to the abdominal area as a result of enemy action in the early hours of Thursday morning.

A fellow member of the Edinburgh based 3rd Battalion The Rifles was killed in an explosion on the same day.

Kyle underwent an emergency operation at the medical centre in Camp Bastion before being flown home.

Yesterday's operation was the second since arriving on British soil.

Doctors are keeping him sedated but it is hoped they will be able to gradually reduce the medication to allow him to wake up slowly over the days ahead.

The teenager's plight has shocked the community where only two years ago well known Kyle helped win a £5,000 grant from Comic Relief to save the Burysed youth group.

Former manager Mo Freeman, said: "We are all absolutely devastated and very, very sad.

"Kyle is an amazing young man. He is a tremendous example to other young people of somebody who has turned his life around and we are all so very proud of him.

"He is very strong, a real fighter. We can only hope he recovers well and our thoughts are with his family."

Local councillor Alastair Fraser (Ind, Tidenham) said: "He is a shining example to the youth of Sedbury, a cracking lad who is a real credit to his family.

"We can only hope that he makes a full recovery and that when he comes out of hospital, he will be able to go back and carry on in the army, if that's what he wants to do."

Two years ago Kyle said Burysed helped local teenagers "get a foot on the ladder of life".