A LONGWOOD soldier who died in a bomb attack in Afghanistan was described as "courageous, loyal and hard-working" by one of his commanding officers at his funeral today.

Private Anton Frampton, 20, of 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, died alongside five colleagues on March 6.

Also killed in the attack were Corporal Jake Hartley, 20, of New Mill, Private Christopher Kershaw, 19, Private Daniel Wade, 20, and Private Daniel Wilford, 21, of Cowlersley, all also of 3 Yorks, and Sergeant Nigel Coupe, 33, of 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.

The soldiers, who had been in Afghanistan for only a few weeks, were killed when their Warrior armoured vehicle was blown up by a massive improvised explosive device about 25 miles north of the capital of Helmand province, Lashkar Gah.

Hundreds of people lined the streets around Huddersfield Parish Church for Pte Frampton's funeral today.

Major Malcolm Birkett, commanding officer of the 3 Yorks soldiers currently based in the UK, paid tribute to Pte Frampton.

He said: "Anton was a positive character whose smile could light up the room.

"He was an individual that was tremendously talented at what he did, especially in the armoured infantry world.

"He'll be sorely missed by his friends and family in particular and he is an individual that epitomises everything that is right about the modern infantryman - courageous, loyal, hard-working - an infantryman to
the end."

Asked how the deaths had affected the battalion, Maj Birkett said: "It had made the battalion more resolute.

"It has hit the battalion quite hard but they have dusted themselves down, picked themselves up and concentrated on the task at hand.

"They have got time to reflect when they come back, they will reflect and remember the fallen."