The heavily-pregnant girlfriend of a brave soldier who was killed in Afghanistan joined over a thousand people to remember the fallen hero at his moving funeral service.

Trooper James Leverett, 20, of the Royal Dragoon Guards, died when an explosion rocked the Viking armoured vehicle he was travelling in in Helmand Province on July 5.

Earlier this week it was revealed James had left a letter to girlfriend Tiffany Lound, 18, to be opened in the event that he died serving his country, telling her: "Don't cry. Just put all your energy into bringing up our baby".

And on Thursday she bravely responded to his plea by holding back the tears as her and James' heartbroken family said their last goodbyes at Sheffield Cathedral, South Yorks.

The service was told how James, of Rawmarsh, South Yorks., was "delighted" at hearing he was to become a dad. Tiffany is due to give birth to the couple's baby in September and found out they were going to have a boy the day after his death.