A British soldier who left his army base to join Kurdish forces in their battle against the Islamic State has been found.

UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told MPs the 19-year-old serviceman, who travelled to northern Iraq, was being returned to his unit.

The soldier had said he was joining the Peshmerga in their battle against the Sunni extremists because he wanted to help them.

But speaking during Commons defence questions, Mr Fallon said: "The House may also want to know the soldier reported as missing last week has now been located and is being returned to his unit."

The man, who is not being named, had told his parents of his plans in a text message last week and had informed friends he intended to spend a year in the region.

He travelled via Dubai telling his family he was taking a holiday there.

He was not officially AWOL as he was on leave.

After the man told his family he was going to help the Kurds in their fight, worried relatives contacted Sky News and his parents were "beside themselves with worry".

They have now released a statement where they said they were relieved he was safe.

They said: "The sense of relief on being told our son is in safe hands has been overwhelming.

"It has been an emotionally gruelling few days and we have been beside ourselves with worry. We are just so grateful to know he is safe."

The serviceman has been in the Army since leaving school at 16 and is known to have been been learning Arabic.

One text message to his family said: "I've gone to join the Kurds in Syria and Iraq. I'm with other British people and a Canadian at the moment.

"I don't know how to explain it to you but I really want and need to do this and I will be safe."

Another message said: "I have good skills and I can speak the language I can help these people and help with this fight."

And a third said: "I'm so sorry to put you through this but I do good, I will get in trouble for being AWOL but it's minor and no prison sentence."

When news of the soldier leaving his base emerged, an Army spokesman said they were aware of the reports and were investigating.

It is not the first time Britons have gone to fight with the Peshmerga.

Former public schoolboy Macer Gifford gave up a job in the City to sign up with Kurdish fighters battling IS in northern Syria.

And ex-soldiers Jamie Read and James Hughes told Sky News how they dodged bullets during chaotic patrols with Kurdish forces.

They also said they vowed to kill each other rather than get captured in a death pact.