THE GRANDPARENTS of a man who is believed to be the first Barnsley soldier to be killed in Iraq have spoken of their anguish.

Jack and Violet Hirst, from Kendray, said they were very proud of Paul Farrelly, 27, who died with a colleague when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Basra on Sunday.

The couple, who are in their 70s, spoke of their "deep sorrow" and said: "The whole family is devastated, we were very proud of him and our hearts go out to his wife and children."

Paul, a lance corporal in the Queen's Dragoon Guards who was known as Fas, spent his early years in Barnsley, before moving to Runcorn when he was a child and then to North Wales.

His stepfather, Kevin Hirst, said there are still many members of his family living in Barnsley and Monk Bretton, including aunties, uncles and cousins. Kevin, who lives with Paul's mum Lynn, on Anglesey, said the family lived at Intake Crescent, Dodworth and Syndale Road, Cudworth and Paul attended primary schools in Dodworth and Cudworth. He has two younger sisters, Sadie and Laura and a younger brother, Liam.

He went into the army four years ago and was on his third six-month term in Iraq when he died.

Kevin said Paul, who was based in Osnabruck, Germany where he lived with his wife Natalie, sons Reece, seven, and Morgan, five, and daughter, Brooke, two, loved his job.

"He was very proud to be in the army. He expressed concerns about Iraq but he loved his job.

"He loved his family and wanted a better life for his kids, he was a fantastic lad."

Paul's commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Pittman said he stood out as a "natural leader" who had been marked out for early promotion.

"He embodied much of what is best about soldiers in the British Army; selfless, determined, humorous and steadfast in the face of adversity."

Kevin said Paul's body would be flown into RAF Brize Norton on June 8 and a full military funeral will be held in his home town, Rhyl on June 16.