Servicemen a 'band of brothers'

About 2,000 people attended the ceremony

The 14 servicemen who died when an RAF Nimrod crashed in Afghanistan last year were "a band of brothers who had paid the ultimate sacrifice", a memorial service has been told.

As RAF Kinloss Station Commander Jerry Kessell spoke, sombre rank after rank of men and women dressed in air force blue uniforms, who filled the massive interior of Two Hangar at the air station, listened quietly.

Group Captain Kessell said the men had died while together in the "common purpose of flying a mission".

He said those gathered in Two Hangar were united in paying tribute to them.

Group Captain Kessell then spoke of each individual, describing family men, intelligent officers, career pilots and soldiers.

'Soar on wings'

Their families and friends sat among the uniformed servicemen.

Earlier, Group Captain Chris Birks read from Isaiah 40.

He finished the reading with its words: "They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; They will walk and not be faint."

Hymns and tributes echoed off the hangar walls draped with flags, before falling silent between the sung and spoken words.