A second soldier has been killed in Afghanistan this week, the Ministry of Defence said today.

The soldier from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment was killed during an operation to disrupt insurgent activity in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province. His family has been told.

The soldier is the 419th member of UK forces to have died since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Ian Lawrence said: 'It is with deep sorrow that I must confirm that a soldier from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment has been killed by enemy action whilst deployed on operations in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province.

'The thoughts of all within Task Force Helmand are with his family and friends at this difficult time.'

The death comes just two days after Lance Corporal James Ashworth from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards was killed in a grenade blast while on patrol in the north of Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand Province on Wednesday. He died despite receiving immediate medical treatment.

The family of the 23-year-old from Kettering, Northamptonshire, said: 'We are devastated by the loss of our son, brother, uncle and boyfriend.

'He meant the world to everyone and has left an irreplaceable hole in our hearts. We ask that we are given time to grieve and we sincerely thank everyone for their condolences.'

L/Cpl Ashworth's father Duane served as a grenadier guard and his brother Coran, 21, is currently serving with the army in Northern Ireland.

He lived with his mother Kerryann and his girlfriend Emily in Kettering, and also leaves sisters Lauren and Paige, brother Karl and four-year-old niece Darcy.