Hundreds of people lined the streets for the funeral of Light Dragoon Sergeant Lee Davidson who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

Sgt Davidson, 32, from Thorne, near Doncaster, was based at the Robertson Barracks in Swanton Morley and died on September 9.

The funeral for the father-of-two took place on Monday and was held at St Nicholas Church, Thorne, where he married his wife Samantha just a year earlier.

Mrs Davidson, who is seven months pregnant with the couple's first daughter, followed her husband's flag-draped coffin.

A recorded tribute read by the tearful widow was played at the crowded church.

She said: 'I met the man of my dreams and knew I would marry this man. I promise to keep your memory alive. I love you, Lee. We all love you.

'We had five-and-a-half years of great fun, love and memories and I will tell our children all of them.

'One day we will meet again. Until we do, I'm never letting you go. Love you always and forever.'

The service was led by Rev David Green who married the couple.

Some local shops closed as a mark of respect and more than 500 people stood in silence near the church for the funeral cortege.

A blue and white floral tribute in the hearse spelled out the word 'Daddy'.

Sgt Davidson died after his Ridgeback vehicle was hit while patrolling with the Afghan Uniformed Police in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province.

The soldier was on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan and was the 427th member of UK forces to have died since operations began in October 2001.