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A family have launched a heartbreaking appeal to find a missing Huddersfield soldier.

Relatives of 21-year-old Yorkshire Regiment soldier Matty Bermingham fear for his safety after he vanished 10 days ago.

The last contact they had from him was a series of worrying text messages in which he said “Sorry” and said he did not want to bring shame on his family.

The family believe he may have fled to Tenerife in the Canary Islands, as his driving licence was posted back to them from a holidaymaker who found it in the street.

Matty’s brother Graham Bermingham said: “We are desperately worried.

“The messages I exchanged with him last week got more and more odd and he said he had left the camp where he was based and intended to disappear.

“He’d always wanted to join the Army but he has said on his trips home that he wasn’t looking forward to going back”.

Matty, of Dalton, worked in a series of jobs including Black Cat Fireworks in Huddersfield before enlisting.

He completed his six-month basic training and Graham said there had been one or two issues of bullying, which had been tackled.

Matty was then posted to the Yorkshire Regiment and joined Corunna Company at the regiment’s base in Warminster.

Graham, 25, of Huddersfield, said: “It seems so odd. He had just got into the regiment football team and was due to fly out to California for some games, including one with LA Galaxy, and then had a trip to Las Vegas planned.

“Our mum Diane is distraught and we are desperately worried about what has happened. We fear he has come to some harm.

“He’s a typical lad who enjoyed himself at home, but a few times on leave he said he wasn’t looking forward to returning to Warminster.

“We just want to know where he is”.

The charity Shoeboxes for Our Heroes has backed social media appeals to find Matty.

A spokesman said: “One of our lads is missing and his family are very concerned.

“They really need to hear that he’s okay or at least for someone to let them know that they’ve seen him.”

An Army spokesman said: “He has been listed as Absent Without Leave but after eight days, it has been referred to the Ministry of Defence Police.

“They have alerted all police forces and authorities”.