RESIDENTS of Wootton Bassett paid their respects as the town's High Street saw the repatriation of two fallen soldiers.

The bodies of Cpl Damian Dee' Mulvihill, 32, and Corporal Damian Lawrence, 25, were flown into RAF Lyneham.

The pair died just three days apart while serving in Helmund Province in southern Afghanistan, as part of different units.

Royal Marine Commando Cpl Mulvihill was killed by a bomb, while he was on patrol in Helmund Province on February 20. He died instantly.

Cpl Lawrence, of The Green Howards - 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment - was killed by a bomb as he entered a compound during a night patrol with the Afghan Nation Army in Kajaki.

Major Gill Wilkinson, of Headquarters 52 Brigade - a unit affiliated with both servicemen - was present at the repatriation.

He said: "We remain ever grateful that the people of Wootton Bassett show their respects in this manner for every repatriation.

"We all heard that this little market town was showing its respects in this way.

"And we certainly value the support and recognition that we, as service personnel, are getting from you all."

Cpl Mulvihill, 32, from Plymouth, is the first member of 40 Commando Royal Marines, based in Somerset, to be killed since they were sent to the war-torn country in October.

He was on a patrol with Alpha Company, near Sangin, when the explosion happened at 12.15pm local time. A second commando was injured in the blast.

Cpl Mulvihill leaves his fiancée Lisa, his parents and his siblings Clare and Sam.

Corporal Lawrence leaves a three-year-old daughter, Jessica.

The latest deaths bring the total number of servicemen killed in Afghanistan since military action started in 2001, to 89.

The families of both corporals paid tribute to them on the Ministry of Defence website.

In a statement, Cpl Mulvihill's family said: "He was so loved by the whole family, he never had a bad word to say about anyone and always looked for the good in people."

Cpl Lawrence's heartbroken mother Alison Lawrence said she wanted her son's colleagues to find the nearest bar on their arrival back to the UK and raise a toast to the 25-year-old.

She said: "As his mother, I am proud to say he died doing what he loved."

Wootton Bassett Royal British Legion secretary Anne Bevis said: "We have already seen too many of these ceremonies.

"It's a tragedy which touches us all and, no matter how many flag-draped coffins pass through our town, the convoy never loses its impact."