Soldier killed in Afghanistan blast

A soldier from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment has died after an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said today.

Next of kin have been informed.

The soldier died while on foot patrol in the Nad-e Ali area, Helmand Province, yesterday afternoon.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, said: "His dauntless courage and his sacrifice will not be forgotten."

His death takes the number of British service personnel who have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001 to 246.