Military funeral for young soldier

Private Kelly's belt, beret and a Union flag were placed on the coffin

A full military funeral has been held in Cornwall for the youngest British soldier killed in Iraq.

Private Andrew Kelly, 18, of the Third Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, died in a shooting accident at his barracks near Basra on 6 May.

An investigation into his death is still being carried out.

Private Kelly, from Tavistock in Devon, was the 34th member of the British forces to die during the conflict.

The funeral service took place at St Mary and St Julian Church at Maker, near Torpoint in east Cornwall.

A Union flag flew at half mast at the church as mourners filed in for the service.

The church heard Private Kelly always wanted to be a Para

Private Kelly's belt, beret and a Union flag were placed on the coffin which was carried by six colleagues from the teenager's regiment.

The cortege was led by Private Kelly's father, Robert Kelly from Callington, his mother Helen Yallop and stepfather Nick Yallop, with whom the teenager lived near Tavistock.

During the church service, Padre Geoff Sussex, from the Royal Army Chaplain's Department, said of Private Kelly: "He was a man who wanted more than anything else to gain his wings.

"He worked hard for them and succeeded."

A burial was held afterwards in the church cemetery, during which Colour Sergeant Mark Willetts, from the Third Battalion The Parachute Regiment, handed Private Kelly's belt, beret and the flag to Mrs Yallop.

After an address by the padre, a gun party fired three volleys of shots.

Members of Private Kelly's family led the funeral cortege

A lone bugler then played Reveille and the Last Post.

Joe Smith, 18, from Yelverton, paid tribute to Private Kelly - his friend since school - during the funeral service.

Speaking outside the church, he said Private Kelly had always wanted to be a Para.

"He really felt he achieved something by going to the Paras and by going to Iraq.

"He felt he was doing something with his life and not just sitting back and watching time go by," he said.

"I am missing him so much. Words can't describe how much I am missing him."

Private Kelly had one brother, 10-year-old Ross Yallop, who joined mourners at the burial.