Minister pays tribute to soldier
Defence Secretary John Hutton has paid tribute to "a brave, versatile and committed Rifleman" who died on one of the bloodiest days for UK forces in Afghanistan.
Rifleman Adrian Sheldon, from 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was one of four service personnel killed in three separate incidents in Helmand province on Thursday.
Mr Hutton said: "It is clear to me that he was a brave, versatile and committed Rifleman, a sharp and fun-loving friend, and a cherished son and brother."
Rifleman Sheldon, 25, was killed when his Jackal patrol vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device near Sangin.
Thursday was the worst day for British forces in Afghanistan since February 25, when three soldiers and one Royal Marine died.
Corporal Sean Binnie, 22, from the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, died in a fire fight with insurgents near Musa Qala.
Another two British soldiers, one from 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles and the other from 173 Provost Company, 3rd Regiment, Royal Military Police, were killed by a suicide bomber during a patrol in Gereshk.
The attack also left at least 16 Afghan civilians dead and more than 30 wounded, according to the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
