THE funeral of heroic York soldier Ashley David Smith will be held this afternoon at the Minster.

Trooper Smith, 21, of Acomb, was killed by an explosion last month in Afghanistan’s Helmand province as he tried to protect his comrades.

He has been described by those he served alongside as an “outstanding, resolute and principled” soldier.

Members of the Royal Dragoon Guards, the regiment with which he served, were set to mount an honour guard as his coffin was taken into York Minster.

Today will also see the repatriation of the body of Royal Marine David Hart, 23, from Poppleton, who was killed in a blast in Afghanistan last Thursday.

He was killed while on foot patrol with Afghan soldiers, becoming York’s third victim of the conflict.