Blast death soldier 'died a hero'

Nathan Cuthbertson, 19, was described as an "excellent soldier and man"

The parents of a Wearside soldier killed in a suicide bomb blast in Afghanistan on Sunday have spoken of their "heroic" son's love of the Army.

Nathan Cuthbertson, 19, from Sunderland, was among three British soldiers to die while on foot patrol near their Helmand Province base.

His father Tom said Pte Cuthbertson "lived and died" for the service he loved and respected.

He and wife Carla said the tragedy had left them "broken hearted".

The death of the three soldiers - all part of the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment - took the number of British troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 100.

Pte Daniel Gamble, 22, from Uckfield, East Sussex and Pte Charles David Murray, 19, of Carlisle also died.

Mr Cuthbertson said: "The Army is what he lived for and what he died for. But this has shattered all our lives.

Carla and Tom Cuthbertson said their son died a hero

"We are absolutely shell-shocked and cannot really believed this has happened. It's so surreal. It just doesn't feel like it's happening."

Mrs Cuthbertson added: "I am just totally broken hearted. His family is never going to be the same again.

"I loved him so much. For all he was grown up he was still my baby.

"I miss him so much, but Nathan died a hero. He said what he was doing was the only job he wanted to do.

"He has made us really proud."

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to the three, praising their service for their country.

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