Llywelyn Evans died on the first day of the Gulf conflict

Lance Bombardier Llywelyn Evans - known as Welly to his friends - was one of 12 servicemen killed when an American Sea Knight helicopter crashed in the Kuwaiti desert on the first day of the conflict.

The Ty Llywelyn Centre at Llandudno was officially opened in his honour by minister for social justice and regeneration Edwina Hart on Friday.

The centre at Ffordd yr Orsedd has been funded under the Welsh Assembly Government's Communities First programme.

In April, around 500 mourners packed into Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, for the first service to remember Llywelyn Evans. More than 800 were stood outside.

It is a fitting tribute to Llywelyn's memory Edwina Hart

But a second funeral for the soldier had to be held last week after accident investigators discovered more of his remains in the wreckage of the helicopter.

His parents, Gordon and Theresa, chose to have his body exhumed and re-buried with the remaining parts.

Inquiry calls

Mr Evans has joined calls for an inquiry into the motives for British involvement in the Iraq conflict.

"My son always wanted to be a soldier and he died doing a job he enjoyed," he added.

"But as far as the government putting soldiers in, I think they should have had their facts straight before they even thought about it.

"I would definitely [support an inquiry] - otherwise my son would still be here."

Llywelyn was one of six young men from the same street in Llandudno who went out to serve in the Gulf.

Just hours after the war started, the American CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter he was travelling in crashed in the Kuwaiti desert.

His brother Lee, 20, was also on the front line at the time.

Llywelyn Evans received a full military funeral

Ty Llywelyn Community Centre will offer local people a variety of services including a training room, IT suite, cr�che, youth club, kids club and luncheon club, said a Conwy council spokesperson.

"It was the wish of local residents that the new facility be named after Lance Bombardier Evans," she added.

The centre is in the Tudno/Mostyn area of the town, which has been awarded �616,981 under the government programme.

It is one of two areas in Conwy to qualify for support under the Communities First programme which was set up by the assembly to regenerate Wales' most disadvantaged communities.

Mrs Hart said: "All communities need decent facilities and Ty Llewelyn will be there for everyone to use for educational, social, creative and recreational activities.