Hundreds attend funeral of North Devon soldier

HUNDREDS of people stood outside St Peter s Church, West Buckland, today (Friday) where the funeral of North Devon soldier Chris King took place. The village church was packed with family members and army colleagues of Chris, 20, who died in Helmund Prov

HUNDREDS of people stood outside St Peter's Church, West Buckland, today (Friday) where the funeral of North Devon soldier Chris King took place.

The village church was packed with family members and army colleagues of Chris, 20, who died in Helmund Province, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device went off while he was on foot patrol.

Those who could not get in to the service were able to hear it on loudspeakers outside. They included members of the Royal British Legion and villagers, who remembered Chris as a friendly boy who loved his job in the army.

Earlier in the day a small crowd stood in Barnstaple Square to pay their respects as the hearse carrying the Union Jack-draped coffin drove past on its way to West Buckland.

The funeral service was conducted by the Vicar of Swimbridge and West Buckland, the Rev Preb Peter Bowers. Tributes were paid by an army officer and Christopher's father, Dave King, among others.

Afterwards colleagues from the Coldstream Guards fired a salute before the young soldier was buried in a grave close to the village war memorial in the churchyard.