Sergeant Paul McAleese, the son of John McAleese, became the 205th soldier to be killed in the conflict after his patrol went to recover the body of another British soldier who died in a bombing attack hours earlier.

The 29-year-old, described as "one of the best of his generation", became a father just a week before he deployed to Afghanistan,following the birth of his son, Charley, The MoD said on Friday night.

Sgt McAleese, who was serving with the 2nd Battalion the Rifles, was caught out in what commanders fear is a new Taliban tactic that has claimed the lives of 14 soldiers in the town of Sangin.