A VILLAGE will come to a virtual halt tomorrow to pay tribute to a hero soldier.
Many hundreds of people are expected to pack into Meltham for the funeral of teenage soldier Pt Tom Wroe.
Many are expected to line the streets to pay their respects.
Pt Wroe, 18, of Meltham, was shot dead by a rogue Afghan policeman in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province on September 15.
He died alongside Sgt Gareth Thursby, a comrade in the 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington’s).
The two men were due to return to the UK after a six-month tour of duty later this month.
Pt Wroe will be accorded full military honours for his funeral and senior officials and comrades from the Regiment will be taking part.
Pt Wroe’s funeral service begins at St Bartholomew’s Church, Meltham, on Friday at noon, after a procession through the streets of his home town.
The procession will begin next to Pt Wroe’s family home, at the junction of Sunny Heys West and Hey Crescent, at 11.30am.
The cortege will proceed along Slaithwaite Road, Red Lane, New Bridge Road, Leygards Lane, Wessenden Head Road, Station Street and Greens End Road to St Bartholomew’s Church where Pt Wroe’s funeral will take place.
At around 1pm, following the service, the procession will travel up Mill Moor Road, Station Street, Slaithwaite Road, along Helme Lane and on to Slades Lane to Christ Church, Helme, where a private burial service will take place.
Greens End Road and Westgate will be closed as needed between 8am and 1.30pm, while on Slades Lane traffic will be made to slow down behind the cortege between 12.30pm and 3pm.
Helme Junior and Infant School will also be closed on the day.
Other points along the route will be closed temporarily as needed.
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