Helicopter gunship crews last night paid tribute to the Royal Marines who strapped themselves to their aircraft during a daring rescue mission in Afghanistan.

Pilots from North Yorkshire-based 656 Squadron 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, who took part in the heroic operation to save Lance Corporal Mathew Ford, arrived back home yesterday.

L Cpl Ford, 30, of 45 Commando, was shot while leading his section during an assault on a Taliban fort outside Garmsir, in Helmand province, on January 15.

On hearing that he could still be alive, the Apache crews joined forces with the Royal Marines and went to try to save him.

Four Royal Marines made British military history by strapping themselves to the stabiliser wings of two helicopters and flying towards a Taliban fort. Yesterday, back at their base at Dishforth, North Yorkshire, some of the pilots involved in the mission spoke of their pride.

Staff Sergeant Carl Bird, 39, said of the operation: "It was all very, very surreal having men strapped to the side of the vehicle.

"I knew that they were there, but it was difficult to see them with all the dust flying about."

He added: "I have asked myself, would I do it again? The answer is yes, I probably would."

Two of the helicopters gave air support while the other two landed to find the missing man.

Unfortunately, L Cpl Ford, who was 30, from Immingham, Lincolnshire, had been killed.

Afterwards, senior officers described the operation as one of the most audacious rescue missions ever launched.

An Apache pilot who gave covering fire during the rescue said: "This was definitely something out of the ordinary but it was a job which needed doing, so we did it."

The pilot, who asked not to be named, added: "The man who was missing in action risked falling into enemy hands. So we came up with the plan to use the helicopters, but the fighting was still fierce when we went back."

Aircrews had practised strapping casualties to the helicopters in England but had never carried soldiers into combat.

The pilot said that although the Americans had carried out such a rescue, it was the first time a British crew had done so.

He said: "All the skills we had learnt in training took over, but there was still a huge amount of adrenaline pumping."

An Army spokesman said: "This was an extreme problem and an extreme solution was needed. He could have been captured by the Taliban and paraded on TV and that was not something we were prepared to accept.

"My initial reaction was one of great pride that they were prepared to put themselves at risk to rescue a comrade.

"The bravery of the men in putting themselves at risk by being strapped to the aircraft must be commended."