HUNDREDS of people paid a “lasting tribute” to Richard Brandon at a memorial service to honour the hero soldier.

About 400 people filled St Mary’s Church, in Kidderminster on Saturday to remember L/Cpl Brandon, who was killed last year when his vehicle hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), in Helmand Province.

Standards, including those from L/Cpl Brandon’s regiment the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), formed a guard of honour inside the church as everyone entered. The service, conducted by Canon Owain Bell, was then opened with the song Angels by Robbie Williams.

L/Cpl Brandon’s fiancee, Emma-Jayne Webster and his mother Anne were among those who paid tribute to the 24-year-old.

Ms Webster also lit the candle of peace with their daughter Kaitlin, 4, and L/Cpl Brandon’s stepsons Martyn Raszke and Liam Raszke-Webster.

Ray Seale, the deputy lieutenant of worcestershire, also attended the service, which was organised and funded by the Kidderminster Ex-servicemen, Women and Veterans Trust.

The standards again formed a guard of honour as everyone left the church to Jon Bon Jovi’s, A Blaze of Glory.

The songs, chosen by Ms Webster, were ones the soldier had picked for his cremation.

Tony Hinton, secretary of the trust, said: “It went absolutely superbly. The atmosphere was very solemn. People felt and knew what it was all about. It was a lasting tribute to Richard.

“It was a brilliant service which was well presented and it meant a lot to a lot of people.”

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