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A FEARLESS Gurkha who single-handedly fought off an attack by up to 30 Taliban soldiers has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

Acting Sergeant Dipprasad Pun, 31, above, fired 400 rounds and launched 17 grenades to thwart the assault on his checkpoint in Afghanistan.

He also beat away an insurgent with the tripod of his machine gun when the weapon stopped working.

The Gurkha ran out of ammunition but detonated a mine to repel the final two Taliban fighters.

His company commander, Major Shaun Chandler, arrived shortly after and slapped the Gurkha on the back – which made him think he may have been under attack again.

Asked if he might have accidentally fired on his commander, he smiled and said: “I had no ammunition left.”

Acting Sgt Pun was on sentry duty in Helmand province in September when he spotted the Taliban fighters.

He sped to the roof, opened fire and was under attack from rocket-propelled grenades for at least 15 minutes.

Most of the militants were 50ft away but two fighters got on to the roof.