They died doing a heroic job

The Prime Minister told MPs the soldiers, who included Lance-Corporal Benjamin John McGowan Hyde, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, and Corporal Simon Miller, from Washington, Wearside, were doing an "extraordinary and heroic job".

And he added: "The whole country and their families can be immensely proud of them."

L Cpl Hyde's family were last night being comforted by friends.

A neighbour said: "They were very proud of Benjamin and all he had achieved in the Army. It is devastating for them that he has died, especially as the main conflict is over."

Mayor of Northallerton Councillor Tony Hall said: "The realities of the armed services means the job is a very difficult one. This is awful news - as a town, our hearts go out to Benjamin's family.

"Whatever the town council can do in this situation, it will do and I am sure the Northallerton community will gel together in passing condolences."

Cpl Miller was a pupil at Usworth Comprehensive, Washington, before leaving to do a mechanic's apprenticeship in Sunderland for two years.

Close friend Paul McCreary, 21, said: "We were great friends throughout school. We met on the first day and were in the same tutorial group.

"Simon was very outgoing and a very bright lad as well.

"He was in the top half of the top set for all his subjects and was a great sportsman.

"We played together in the centre of midfield for the school football team. He was an excellent player and I think he had trials with a professional club at one stage.

"Simon was also in the basketball team and was a black belt at karate; he was a real acheiver."

Mr McCreary added: "He didn't talk about joining the Army at school, but I felt as though he could do pretty much whatever he wanted.

"I met him in our local pub a little while ago and he said he was enjoying the Army."

Cpl Miller had an older brother, Jon, who lives with his parents in Washington.

Mr McCreary, now a student at Leeds University, said: "Our old school rang to break the news. They said they wanted me to hear it from them rather than on the news because they remembered how close we were.

"It is a terrible, terrible shock and it doesn't seem two minutes since we were at school together."

Another friend, Paul Latimer, revealed how Simon had recently got engaged.

"He basically loved the Army and enjoyed every minute. I can't believe he has gone," he said.

Addressing the Commons yesterday, the Prime Minister said details of what led to the tragedy would become clear in the next 24 hours.

British forces had been trying to disarm Iraqis in the area when a fire fight broke out, he said.

"There had been problems in relation to that and that may form part of the background to it, but at the moment it is simply too early to say," said Mr Blair.

Conservatives leader Ian Duncan Smith said: ''This incident should serve only to reinforce our resolve to bring peace and the rule of law to Iraq, and to enable the Iraqis to take charge of their own future."

Mr Blair said he agreed entirely, adding: "Despite the terrible events of yesterday, the fact is the people in Iraq now have the prospect of hope for the future, the prospect of a proper, prosperous, indeed democratic country.

"The work being done there by British servicemen and women is of immense importance, not only to that country but to the whole of the region and the wider world.

"I think even at this moment in time it is particularly important that we make sure that we redouble our efforts to bring stability to that country, because that is the surest way of bringing security to the rest of the world."

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy also expressed his sympathy to the "grief-stricken" families of those killed and injured.

Major Bryn Parry-Jones, commanding officer of 156 Provost Company, said the deaths of the six men had come as a dreadful shock.

He said: "The loss of six soldiers from such a small, tight-knit unit as 156 Provost Company clearly comes as a dreadful shock to us all, not only the friends and families of those killed, but also all those in the Royal Military Police who knew and worked with them."

Major Parry-Jones said all the men were highly professional soldiers and policemen whose deaths illustrated the challenging situations the Royal Military Police faced in times of peace and conflict.

He went on: "From the oldest, aged 41, to the youngest, aged 20, these soldiers had between them a wealth of operational experience and distinguished service.

"You will understand that the circumstances surrounding this dreadful incident are still being investigated.

"We ask our men and women to risk the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country, and it is the sad truth that sometimes that sacrifice comes to pass."

The deaths, in the southern town of Al Majar Al-Kabir, were the Army's heaviest combat casualties since the 1991 Gulf War.

Mayor of Colchester Councillor Chris Hall said plans to celebrate the return of soldiers to the town following the end of the war would now be put on hold.

"The soldiers of the Colchester garrison and their families are a significant part of the community and, as a result, there is a great sense of sorrow in the borough for those who have lost their lives," he said.