Agnes Yates sent the cake to her son David in the Gulf via a special postal service.

He received it - albeit two days late and squashed - but phoned home on Sunday to say it still tasted nice.

HMS Invincible was deployed to the Gulf after United Nation's weapons inspectors were expelled from Iraq.

The aircraft carrier's crew is currently awaiting the arrival of their replacement, HMS Illustrious.

David, an aircraft engineer who services helicopters, has been away for seven months. But Agnes, 68, said he seemed in good spirits.

She said: "I will be glad when it is all over, but at the end of the day it is his job."

David's wife Liz and daughter Sophia had hoped to see him at Christmas.

But now he will not return to his new home in Cornwall until the end of March.

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