'Daddy, daddy': A son's cry at Iraq hero's funeral

He had been as brave as his father right up to the church. Dressed in his best suit, Bradley Green walked behind the flag-draped coffin, holding a fellow mourner's hand and fighting to keep the tears at bay.

Then as his father's coffin was carried into church, the two-year-old cried out 'daddy, daddy, daddy', over and over.

The little boy led some 200 mourners who paid their last respects to Kingsman Alex Green, the first British soldier killed in Iraq this year and the 130th of the campaign.

The 21-year-old was shot dead by a sniper in Basra last month and was buried with full military honours at St Elphin's Church, in Warrington, Cheshire.

Kingsman Green's Union Flag-draped coffin was carried into the church by eight Army pallbearers, followed by members of his family including Bradley, clutching a heartshaped balloon with Dad on it, and 200 mourners.

As the Rev Michael Finlay described Kingsman Green, who was serving with the 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster Regiment, as a devoted father, Bradley cried 'Daddy, Daddy' again.

'To serve in the Army was his single ambition,' Mr Finlay said.

'He loved it and, according to his officers, was a good soldier with good prospects as a professional and reliable colleague.'

Kingsman Green was a fan of Arsenal and the club sent a condolence card signed by all the players.

He was one of two British soldiers buried . Mourners also gathered at St Andrew's Church, Immingham, Lincolnshire, to pay their respects to Lance Corporal Mathew Ford, who was killed storming a Taliban compound in Afghanistan last month.

Afterwards, four commandos took part in a fierce gunfight in an attempt to recover his body.