A rugby player from Leavesden has become a Royal Marines Commando, following two generations of his family into the armed forces.

From 60 cadets who began 32 gruelling weeks of training, Warren Dunsford was one of only 20 to earn his green beret.

In front of his proud family, friends and girlfriend, Warren took part in his passing out parade last month.

And he has now begun his pre-deployment training ahead of his first tour of Afghanistan next year.

Warren, 18, a member of 45 Commando, said: “I'm really looking forward to it. The only thing is thinking of my mum, my grandmother and girlfriend. They're going to be worrying about me for six months. Marines are first in and last out but because of our training, we feel confident nothing's going to happen.”

Warren joined the Royal Marines in June 2009, and after eight months training at Lympstone Commando Training Centre, near Plymouth, in Devon, he is now a full commando.

Asked what attracted him to the Royal Marines, he said: “Straight way it says 99.9 per cent need not apply. It's tough. I thought I would have a bit of that. It was a big shock to the system.”

During his training, Warren spent seven nights in Dartmoor in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees, stayed awake for 56 hours, and completed a 30 mile “yomp” - a long distance march in full kit – in less than eight hours.

He has now begun his pre-deployment training with troop 991 in Arbroath, Scotland, where his skills will be sharpened ahead of his first tour of duty in Afghanistan next year.

Warren, whose father and grandfather were both in the army, said: “I get so much support from my mum, dad, grandmother and girlfriend. It's really good having them behind me.”

In training, he saw some men cry through coldness or exhaustion as they battled the elements, both mental and meteorological, to become commandos, but said he never wanted to walk away from an ambition he has held since an early age.

A keen rugby player for Watford Rugby Club, Warren hopes to one day rise to the rank of corporal so he can lead his own section and put new recruits through the challenges he has recently overcome.

He said: “I most enjoyed being on the field, fighting, thinking fast and the fitness work. The worst was the early mornings and sometimes the weather. People got hypothermia and frostbite, but when you walk away, you look back and think - I have achieved quite a bit.”

Supporting Warren alongside his family is his girlfriend Hana Carter, 16, from Nightingale Close, Abbots Langley.

The pair met at Kings Langley School three years ago and Hana, an aspiring film actress and a member of the National Youth Theatre, was in the crowd to watch his passing out parade.

She said: “That was really impressive. I had a huge lump in my throat. I was so proud of him.

“He's got such massive support from his family. Everybody is so supportive of him.

“I'm nervous about next year but I know he's really excited and that's what he want to do so I will support him.”