Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of military policeman Ben Hyde who was killed during an attack on a civilian police station in Iraq.

Lance Corporal Hyde was one of six soldiers who died when an angry mob attacked the station in Al Majar Al-Kabir, near Basra, last month. The service took place with full military honours at All Saints' Church, Northallerton, where L/Cpl Hyde lived with his parents, John and Sandra. Police piper PC James McGowan piped the coffin into the 12th century church followed by the funeral party, which included family and friends. The 450 mourners who filled the church, where L/Cpl Hyde was christened 23 years ago, heard tearful tributes from two of his cousins, Asha and Jenny Singh.

Asha described her cousin as "fun, cheeky, incredibly charming and brave".

"It was hard to know Ben without falling in love with him. I don't know anyone who didn't," she said.

The coffin, draped with the Union Flag topped with a red beret, white belt, regimental bayonet and a bouquet, was carried into the church by colleagues from L/Cpl Hyde's company.

Onlookers lining adjacent streets bathed in sunshine listened in silence to the service relayed over loudspeakers.

Updated: 10:28 Wednesday, July 16, 2003