A TEENAGE soldier died of a gunshot wound to the head while on guard duty on a military base.
No one else is being sought in connection with the death of Geoff Gray, who joined the Royal Logistics Corps eight months ago on his 17th birthday.
His parents had been worried at the prospect of him going to war but are now struggling to come to terms with their son's death before he even left his base.
His mother Diane, 37, said: "It hasn't sunk in that I have actually been organising my own son's funeral. It had always been Geoff's ambition to join the Army. Every parent knows when their child signs up that they might risk their lives but I never imagined he would die like this."
Mrs Gray and her husband Geoff, 38, originally from Seaham, County Durham, moved to Hackney, north London, when their son was five.
An Army spokesman said: "Our deepest condolences go out to his family."
A full military funeral was held yesterday at St John's Church, Seaham.
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