Overdose soldier's funeral held

In training Jason was told he might have to shoot child suicide bombers

A teenage soldier who killed himself because he feared having to shoot child suicide bombers has been buried.

Jason Chelsea, 19, a Kings, Lancashire and Border Regiment infantryman, died four days after taking an overdose.

Shortly after taking the overdose, he told his parents that as part of training for Iraq he had been warned he might have to shoot children.

His funeral was held in Greater Manchester. A military inquest is to be held into his death.

Family tribute

Jason was staying at his parents' house in Wigan when he took the overdose. He died on 14 August at St James's Hospital in Leeds.

His mother, Kerry Chelsea, paid tribute to her son, describing him as a "kind and generous man".

Jason had been facing the prospect of his first tour of duty in Iraq and had undergone pre-deployment training in preparation.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "The Army are greatly saddened by the death of Kingsman Chelsea and the thoughts and sympathies of all the soldiers will be with his family and friends at this very difficult time.

"The tragedy is very recent and there are investigations ongoing and until they are completed we can't comment further."

The MoD did not respond directly to the allegations the soldiers were trained to shoot child suicide bombers.

Earlier this month the MoD released figures showing 1,541 soldiers who served in Iraq are suffering from psychiatric illness.

Last year, 727 cases were recorded, amounting to nearly 10% of the British deployment.