Iraq soldier family's new tragedy

Lance Bombardier Llywelyn Evans died on the first day of the Iraq war

The brother of one of the first British soldiers to die in the Iraq war was killed in a car crash on Christmas Eve, it has emerged.

Dewi Evans, 23, of Llandudno, Conwy, was travelling with relatives to a funeral when the collision happened on the A5.

His brother Llywelyn Evans died in a helicopter crash as the ground invasion of Iraq began in March 2003.

North Wales Police are investigating Monday's crash near Betws-y-Coed.

Dewi Evans was a passenger in a Volvo when the collision happened on a stretch of the road known as Padog bends.

A Volkswagen Passat was also involved, and two women who were driving and two children were treated for minor injuries.

Mr Evans was airlifted to hospital in Bangor, where he later died.

Tragedy

His death is the third tragedy for the Evans family.

Following the death of Lance Bombardier Evans, know to friends as Welly, their father Gordon died from liver failure in March 2005.

An inquest was later told that Mr Evans's life had "disintegrated" after his son was killed in Iraq, and he had returned to drinking.

Lance Bombardier Evans was serving with 29 Commando Royal Artillery, attached to 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, when his American Sea Knight helicopter crashed in the Kuwaiti desert on the first day of the conflict.

Eleven other servicemen on the aircraft were also killed in the crash.