A SELBY vicar has spoken of the bitter irony of a young soldier who survived the war in Iraq, only to be killed on his return to Germany in a "freak accident".

The Vicar of Brayton, the Rev David Reynolds, was speaking after yesterday's full military funeral for L Cpl Stuart Moralee, of Barlow.

He said: "The tragedy is he came through all that Iraq had to throw at him and returned home unscathed, only to be killed in a freak accident. It's unbelievable."

As reported in yesterday's Evening Press, L Cpl Moralee, 28, was serving in Germany when the million-to-one accident happened on June 21.

He was travelling on his motorbike just outside Graven when he was struck by a pheasant. The incident resulted in his colliding with another Army motorcyclist, L Cpl Stewart-Fletcher, who was also killed.

At yesterday's funeral, L Cpl Moralee's coffin was carried into St Wilfrid's Church, Brayton, by fellow soldiers from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers workshop, attached to the 1st Battalion, The Irish Guards.

His girlfriend, Zodie Maskill, and a high-ranking officer from his regiment both paid tribute to his fine qualities and abilities, and said they were devastated by his untimely death.

One REME captain said he was a good soldier and would be sorely missed.

Mr Reynolds told a crowded church that L Cpl Moralee was a former pupil of Barlow Primary School and Brayton College, where he had shown himself to be an outstanding sportsman.

The mourners included L Cpl Moralee's parents, Jim and Jean, of Park Avenue, Barlow.

In a statement issued by the Army press office, his parents said that Stuart excelled in everything he did and was the most perfect son any parent could wish for.

An inquest was opened and adjourned last Friday by North Yorkshire Coroner Geoff Fell.

The coroner told the court he was waiting for further information from the Army about the accident.

Updated: 10:35 Thursday, July 10, 2003