AN OXFORDSHIRE-based soldier has become the first woman bomb disposal expert to be killed in Afghanistan.

Captain Lisa Head, from Didcot-based 11 EOD Regiment, was injured in an explosion in Helmand Province last Monday.

The 29-year-old was flown from Camp Bastion to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, but died from her injuries.

Capt Head, pictured, was in the Nahr-e-Saraj district to clear bombs found in an alleyway used regularly by Afghans and international troops.

After rendering safe the first improvised explosive device, she was injured when a second exploded.

In a statement, her family said: “We are extremely proud of Lisa. Lisa always said that she had the best job in the world and she loved every second of it. She had two families — us and the army.”

Capt Head, based at Vauxhall Barracks, was sent to Afghanistan on March 27 as an improvised explosive device disposal operator with the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Task Force.

Her regiment, 11 EOD, has been secribed as “the real Hurt Locker” — after the Oscar-winning film — because of the extremely dangerous work it carries out.

Regiment members Staff Sgt Olaf Schmid, Cpt Daniel Read and WO2 Gary O’Donnell have all been killed by roadside bombs in the past three years.

Regiment commanding officer, Lt Col Adam McRae, said: “Captain Lisa Head will be remembered by the officers and soldiers of the regiment as a passionate, robust and forthright individual who enjoyed life to the full.

“Her potential was considerable and she will be an enormous loss to us all.“ Capt Head, originally from Huddersfield, served in Northern Ireland before deploying to Afghanistan.

Didcot MP Ed Vaizey said: “Her death will affect everyone living in and around the town. Judging by the way Didcot has reacted in the past, I am sure people will want to demonstrate their support and genuine feeling for what people like Capt Head are doing in Afghanistan.”