A BRITISH soldier killed in an explosion in Afghanistan was named last night by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Sapper Guy Mellors, 20, from Coventry, a bomb disposal expert from 36 Engineer Regiment, died on Monday.

His mother, Linda Holland, said the family was “very proud” of Sapper Mellors, adding: “He will always be our hero.”

Sapper Mellors was the second dead British soldier to be named yesterday by the MoD.

Earlier, a soldier killed in a suspected friendly fire incident on Sunday was identified as Kingsman Sean Dawson, from 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

The MoD said an investigation has been launched into the death of Kingsman Dawson, amid suggestions he could have been the victim of “friendly fire”.

The 19-year-old died in the Musa Qala area of Helmand Province on Sunday evening.

The teenager, from Stalybridge, Manchester, was deployed to Afghanistan on January 16 after passing a course to become a sniper.

He was killed while taking part in an ambush of suspected militants near Patrol Base Minden in the north of Helmand.

In a statement released yesterday, the MoD said: “Early indications suggest that his death was possibly caused as a result of ’friendly fire’.”

The MoD said no further comment would be made ahead of an inquest.

The young soldier leaves his parents, Sean and Karen, brothers Jack and James, sisters Anna, Danielle and Summer, and his girlfriend, Sadie.

Kingsman Dawson’s father said his son wanted to join the Army from the age of six and loved everything about military life.

He added: “He believed in everything he was doing in Afghanistan and even though he was apprehensive, he couldn’t wait to get out there.

“I cannot put into words the hole he is going to leave behind in the lives of everyone who knew him. His immediate family and girlfriend Sadie loved him dearly and he will always be in our hearts.”

Neither death was connected to the ongoing Operation Moshtarak to drive the Taliban out of a stronghold around Marjah and Nad-e-Ali in Helmand.