THE WIDOW of a Bournemouth soldier killed in Afghanistan has won praise from Prime Minister David Cameron.

Brenda Hale, whose husband Mark Hale died serving with 2 Rifles in 2009, won a seat in the Northern Ireland assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party.

Her success was pointed out during prime minister’s questions on Wednesday.

Mr Cameron said: “I think it is excellent that somebody who will speak up for the military and their families will have a seat in the assembly, particularly when Ireland, both north and south, has given so much to the British armed forces over many years.”

He said he wanted to see the Military Covenant, the informal agreement that the state owes a duty of care to servicemen, referenced in law.

Captain Hale grew up in Winton and lived with Brenda in Canford Heath before eventually settling in her native Northern Ireland with their two daughters.

“He would be very proud of me, but not surprised,” said Brenda after her victory in Lagan Valley. “He always knew I had a voice - he had to listen to it.”

She was elected after urging the Government to extend military convenant to include the families of soldiers.

She noted soldiers’ pay is stopped as soon as they are killed, that there are not enough Visiting Officers to help bereaved families, and that relatives don’t get the Elizabeth Cross automatically.

Captain Hale’s mother, Diana Russell of Wallisdown, told the Echo: “We are very, very proud of Brenda. She has been very vocal for soldiers and their families.

“I know politicians say there’s a lot of help out there for soldiers that leave the army but from what I can see, a lot of help is down to people like us doing charity work.”

You can read more about the charity set up in Captain Hale’s name visiting www.theundentabletrust.co.uk/