Tributes paid to killed servicemen

The funerals of Private Jason Williams and Private Richard Hunt took place after the bodies of Serjeant Paul McAleese and Private Johnathon Young were flown into RAF Lyneham in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Tributes were also paid to the latest British serviceman killed who was named as Fusilier Shaun Bush.

Fusilier Bush, 24, from Coventry, died at the Royal College of Defence Medicine in Selly Oak, West Midlands, on Tuesday. His death came 10 days after being seriously injured in an explosion as he tried to rescue a colleague fatally wounded in an earlier blast.

His father Carl said his "kind and generous" son, who was serving with the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, "would not hesitate to help others in need".

The family and friends of the 200th British serviceman killed in the conflict said goodbye to their "true Welsh warrior". Up to 3,000 people attended a funeral service in Pte Hunt's home town of Abergavenny, South Wales, many of them lining the streets outside St Mary's Priory Church.

Pte Hunt, 21, who specialised as a Warrior driver and sniper, was seriously wounded in an explosion while on vehicle patrol in Helmand and died from his injuries after being flown back to the UK.

Hundreds of people also lined the streets of Worcester for the funeral of Pte Williams, 23, of the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment. Pte Williams died on August 8 while helping in the aftermath of an attack which had claimed the lives of three Afghan army soldiers near Gereshk, Helmand province.

Hundreds also turned out to pay their respects to Sjt McAleese, 29, of 2nd Battalion The Rifles, and Pte Young, 18, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, as their bodies were returned to British soil. The two men were killed in north Helmand on August 20. Pte Young died in an initial explosion and Sjt McAleese was killed by a second blast when he went to help.

Meanwhile, it emerged the family of a soldier who were comforted by Prince William after their loved one was killed in Afghanistan are to receive the Elizabeth Cross from the Queen. The relatives of Trooper Robert Pearson, from the Queen's Royal Lancers, will be among the first people to be personally presented with the new honour by the monarch.