IT must be heartbreaking for parents to say goodbye to their children, knowing it will be months before they see them again.

For those of us who are outside of the military it is hard to comprehend what these brave parents are going through as they leave to fight in hostile lands.

That is why RAF Benson’s lion, Purlin, is such a lovely initiative.

A mother or father can record their voice on a box in the cuddly lion’s backpack so when the child hugs the toy the voice is played back to them.

We hope that other bases in Oxfordshire will hear of this great idea and roll it out to their stations, too.