Richard Welsh – who is serving in Afghanistan – says the goodwill of people in Hartlepool and east Durham has proved to be a huge morale boost for him and colleagues from his Middlesbrough-based regiment.

Richard's wife Tina, 35, featured in the Mail to highlight her Parcel43 campaign to get free-of-charge parcels sent to the troops.

The campaign was successful and now soldiers in the Helmand Province have been given a boost, not only by the number of parcels received, but also by the support from people who signed the Parcel43 petition.

Richard, 34, is a corporal in the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, which also includes Jamie Hunter, who has family in Blackhall, and soldiers from Middlesbrough and Darlington.

Tina, who has two children, Ciara, 12, and Michael, 11, and lives in Peterlee, said: "The boys are saying a big 'thank-you'. It is such a huge morale boost when they get mail, especially if they've been out for days and come back to camp to find a parcel there. I suppose it's like Christmas all the time."

Tina, who works at Peterlee Post Office and has been married to Richard for 15 years, thanked her post office colleagues for help with the campaign.

She added: "Richard said he gets a warm feeling when he receives parcels from me and the kids and that it's good to know he's not forgotten.

"I've sent out some Christmas decorations and battery-operated lights, which Richard says he's put up around his mosquito net."

Anyone wishing to find out more about sending parcels to soldiers in the battalion can visit http://www.greenhowards.org.uk