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| Para's body is flown back to UK | Para's body is flown back to UK |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of people have paid their respects to a 21-year-old Welsh paratrooper and three comrades who were killed in Afghanistan. | |
| Pte Kyle Adams along with Corporal Kevin Mulligan and Lance Corporal Dale Thomas Hopkins, died in Helmand province on Thursday. | |
| Pte Adams, from south Wales, was described as a "real team player" by his commanding officer. | Pte Adams, from south Wales, was described as a "real team player" by his commanding officer. |
| Their coffins were driven through Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire. | |
| An aircraft transporting the coffins landed at RAF Lyneham in the county this morning. | |
| After a private repatriation ceremony for their families, hearses carrying their Union flag-draped coffins passed through the nearby town before the procession moved on to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. | |
| Soldiers lined the streets of the town alongside Royal British Legion veterans, shopkeepers and residents to pay tribute to the men. | |
| We who served with him are privileged and honoured to have known such a brave, committed and enthusiastic young soldier Pte Kyle Adams's commanding officer | We who served with him are privileged and honoured to have known such a brave, committed and enthusiastic young soldier Pte Kyle Adams's commanding officer |
| As the procession paused by the war memorial, which was covered in floral tributes, flowers were placed on the hearses by relatives and friends. | |
| Others at the side of the road held aloft posters of the soldiers' images and placed flowers on the hearses as they passed. | |
| Pte Adams's family said that before his deployment he had told his father he was not a soldier, but a para. | |
| "He was a loving son, brother, uncle, nephew, grandson, and boyfriend," said his father in a statement. | "He was a loving son, brother, uncle, nephew, grandson, and boyfriend," said his father in a statement. |
| Private Kyle Adams was "the life and soul of the party", said his father | |
| "He was the life and soul of any party. He has left a big hole and he will be sorely missed." | "He was the life and soul of any party. He has left a big hole and he will be sorely missed." |
| His commanding officer described Pte Adams as an "utterly professional soldier" who was always ready for the next challenge and who was a talented sportsman. | His commanding officer described Pte Adams as an "utterly professional soldier" who was always ready for the next challenge and who was a talented sportsman. |
| "The focus, selflessness and responsibility required of his profession came naturally to him," said the commanding officer. | "The focus, selflessness and responsibility required of his profession came naturally to him," said the commanding officer. |
| "He died doing the work he loved, alongside the comrades who held him in such high regard. | "He died doing the work he loved, alongside the comrades who held him in such high regard. |
| Special forces | |
| "He gave his life for his fellow comrades and The Parachute Regiment. We who served with him are privileged and honoured to have known such a brave, committed and enthusiastic young soldier. | "He gave his life for his fellow comrades and The Parachute Regiment. We who served with him are privileged and honoured to have known such a brave, committed and enthusiastic young soldier. |
| "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kyle's family at this incredibly difficult time. We hope that the fond memories of an inspiring young man can in some way help them, as they do us." | "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kyle's family at this incredibly difficult time. We hope that the fond memories of an inspiring young man can in some way help them, as they do us." |
| The men were killed when their Jackal armoured vehicle was hit by an explosion north of Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province. | |
| The men, who were working with special forces, were carrying out a routine security patrol with Afghan forces when the vehicle was struck by the blast before coming under small arms fire from insurgents. | |
| A fourth soldier survived the attack but is injured. | A fourth soldier survived the attack but is injured. |
| The men were understood to be part of the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) which was set up in April 2006. | The men were understood to be part of the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) which was set up in April 2006. |