THE funeral of a heroic soldier who was killed in Afghanistan will take place next week.

Rifleman Daniel Wild, of Easington Colliery, County Durham, died trying to save a comrade in southern Afghanistan, on August 13.

A military funeral will take place at St Mary's Church, in Horden, County Durham, at 10.30am, on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old and Captain Mark Hale, both 2nd Battalion The Rifles, were carrying wounded colleague Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton, 23, from Haxby, North Yorkshire, to a helicopter landing zone when they were caught in a bomb blast near Sangin.

The explosion killed all three men.

Rifleman Wild was less than two weeks from returning home when he died.

His family last week paid tribute to him saying he had the "biggest heart" and always put other people first.