Soldier’s 43-hour dash home to see son in Nativity play

Callum Lancaster, 7, really wanted his dad to see him perform in his school's Nativity play.

The only problem: Callum's father, 31-year-old Matthew Lancaster, was in Kenya training for service in Afghanistan and wasn't due to come home until a week after the production at St. Patrick's Catholic School in Stafford, England.

Callum was given the surprise of his young life when he saw his father in the audience.

"Callum had said all he wanted for Christmas was for his dad to be at his nativity play," said Matthew, who was released from duty a week earlier than anticipated.

The soldier traveled 4,000 miles in a 43-hour dash to see his son perform his role as a magi with just two minutes to spare. He was still in uniform.

"I'd talked about nothing else all week because I didn't think I'd be able to go, then with all the delays on the journey, it looked like it wasn't going to happen. It was a mad panic," Matthew told The Sun. A six-hour delay at a Kenyan airport almost thwarted his plans for the Christmas surprise.

"My wife knew I was trying to get home but I really wanted to surprise my son."

And he did. Much of the audience was in tears when Matthew was ushered to his reserved seat at the last minute.

"Everyone was thrilled. People were quite choked he made it," Dawn Jamieson, Governor of St Patrick's Catholic School, told The Mirror.

"My wife met me at the door but there wasn't even time for a hello, we went straight in and it was quite funny, he did a double-take when he saw me — he couldn't believe it was me," Matthew said of his son's reaction.

Despite Callum's surprise, the youngster managed to keep his composure:

"His face was a picture but he kept a straight face and did a professional job in his role as one of the three kings."

With no immediate plans to return overseas, the Lancasters are now set to spend the entire holiday season together.