A British serviceman from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment has been killed during an attack on his patrol base in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence have revealed.

A British serviceman from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment has been killed during an attack on his patrol base in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence have revealed.

The soldier was injured when the base, north-east of Sangin in the volatile Helmand Province, came under attack from small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades, and indirect fire, at about 1.20pm on Saturday.

He was taken by helicopter to Camp Bastion, but did not survive.

The announcement brings the total amount of British servicemen killed in action in the last seven days to six.

Private Tony Rawson, 27, also from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, was killed on Friday morning, local time, as he was trying to disrupt enemy activity and reassure the local population in the area of Jusyalay, southern Afghanistan.

The 27-year-old from Dagenham, Essex, was inspecting a local irrigation project when he came under heavy fire from Taliban fighters together with another soldier. An emergency helicopter was scrambled, but Private Rawson was pronounced dead at the scene. His colleague survived the attack.

In a separate attack on Saturday afternoon, local time, six Royal Anglian soldiers came under attack from small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades and indirect fire in the same area. One man was killed and the other five received minor injuries.

The victim's next of kin have been informed and have requested a period of grace before further details are released.

On Friday, another Royal Anglian serviceman, L/Cpl Alex Hawkins, was buried in at Swanton Morley near Dereham, after being killed in the area of Jusyalay, north east of Sangin in Helmand last month.