Fallen soldiers honoured by town

The soldiers' families said they loved their jobs

Hundreds of people have lined the streets of a North East Lincolnshire town to pay their respect to two soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

Grimsby town centre came to a standstill as the bodies of Sgt Matthew Telford, 37, and Guardsman Jimmy Major, 18, were brought home.

The men were among five soldiers killed by an Afghan police trainee.

Their relatives joined veterans, shoppers and civic dignitaries for the event at midday.

As the cortege passed outside the town hall it paused to allow people to throw flowers on the hearses and a lay flags on the bonnets.

A lone piper played a lament as standard-bearers from the Royal British Legion lowered their flags as the coffins passed by.

'Wonderful lad'

At one point the crowds broke out in clapping as the cortege drove through the town.

Many people were holding flowers and flags while others wore T-shirts with Guardsman Major's face on the front.

The men's funerals are expected to be held next week

The funerals of Sgt Telford, from Scartho, and Guardsman Major, from Cleethorpes, are expected to be held next week.

The men, who were both in the Grenadier Guards, were shot dead at a secure checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province on 3 November.

The bodies of the five soldiers were brought back to the UK on 10 November.

William Ferrand, the uncle of Sgt Telford, said his nephew had "absolutely loved" his job training Afghan forces.

He added: "Everybody knows what a wonderful lad he was. It has devastated all of us."

Relatives of Guardsman Jimmy Major said he took pride in his profession and had "died doing the job he loved."