MORE tributes have been paid to an “excellent” soldier from North Yorkshire killed in Afghanistan as thousands of people across the county remembered the servicemen and women killed in conflicts past and present.

Sgt Major Richard Jefferies honoured his friend and colleague Phillip Scott, a serjeant who was born in Malton, after leading the parade from the town’s war memorial yesterday.

He said: “He was a brilliant British soldier – you couldn’t have asked for more.”

The 30-year-old married father-of-two, known as “Scotty”, was part of 3rd Battalion The Rifles and was killed in a bomb blast in Sangin on Thursday as his platoon carried out a clearance operation.

He joined the Army in 2001, being promoted to Lance Corporal two years later and being deployed to Iraq as second-in-command of a rifle section before passing the Section Commanders’ Battle Course in 2004 at the same time as his brother Robin.

After being born in Malton, Serjeant Scott moved to Richmond, where his father, Mike, is gamekeeper of the Zetland Estate.

More recently, he had been living in Edinburgh with his wife Ellen, and two children.

“I knew Serjeant Scott and his brother for about four years,” said Sgt Major Jefferies.

“He was simply an excellent lad whose life was cut far too short.”

The Mayor of Norton, Paul Farndale, said: “It is a very sad occasion.

“He was a Malton boy who was serving his country.

“It is a tragedy he lost his life so young.”

He spoke after hundreds of people, standing sombrely in black, with flashes of red from poppies tucked into buttonholes, lined the streets remembering those who lost their lives in the two world wars and recent conflicts.

Traffic was at a standstill as crowds proclaimed: “We will remember them,” after the ceremonial two-minute silence.

• The spelling Serjeant is correct for the regiment.