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| Soldiers' bodies flown back to UK | Soldiers' bodies flown back to UK |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A private ceremony has been held to mark the repatriation of the bodies of four UK soldiers killed in Iraq. | A private ceremony has been held to mark the repatriation of the bodies of four UK soldiers killed in Iraq. |
| The coffins, draped in union jack flags, were taken off a C-17 aircraft at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, before being carried past watching families. | The coffins, draped in union jack flags, were taken off a C-17 aircraft at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, before being carried past watching families. |
| Second Lt Joanna Yorke Dyer, 24, Cpl Kris O'Neill, 27, Pte Eleanor Dlugosz, 19, and Kingsman Adam James Smith, 19, were attacked on 5 April near Basra. | Second Lt Joanna Yorke Dyer, 24, Cpl Kris O'Neill, 27, Pte Eleanor Dlugosz, 19, and Kingsman Adam James Smith, 19, were attacked on 5 April near Basra. |
| Their deaths marked the bloodiest day for UK troops in Iraq since November. | Their deaths marked the bloodiest day for UK troops in Iraq since November. |
| The coffins were placed in hearses waiting to transfer the bodies into the care of the Wiltshire coroner. | The coffins were placed in hearses waiting to transfer the bodies into the care of the Wiltshire coroner. |
| As the procession of vehicles passed through the town Wootton Bassett a few miles away, local councillors and members of the public stood in silence as a mark of respect. | As the procession of vehicles passed through the town Wootton Bassett a few miles away, local councillors and members of the public stood in silence as a mark of respect. |
| A sunset ceremony was held at a base in Basra, southern Iraq, on Wednesday before the bodies were flown to the UK. | |
| 'Unflappable nature' | 'Unflappable nature' |
| All four soldiers died when a Warrior armoured vehicle returning from patrol near Basra was attacked. | All four soldiers died when a Warrior armoured vehicle returning from patrol near Basra was attacked. |
| Residents of Wootton Bassett stood in silence as the procession passed | Residents of Wootton Bassett stood in silence as the procession passed |
| A Kuwaiti interpreter was also killed in the blast, which seriously injured a fifth soldier and left a 3ft-deep crater in the road. | A Kuwaiti interpreter was also killed in the blast, which seriously injured a fifth soldier and left a 3ft-deep crater in the road. |
| The ceremony in Basra was attended by troops from the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, the Intelligence Corps and the UK Medical Group amongst others. | The ceremony in Basra was attended by troops from the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, the Intelligence Corps and the UK Medical Group amongst others. |
| Second Lt Dyer, from Yeovil, Somerset, had trained at Sandhurst military academy with Prince William, who described her as a "close friend". | Second Lt Dyer, from Yeovil, Somerset, had trained at Sandhurst military academy with Prince William, who described her as a "close friend". |
| The prince has expressed his deep sadness at her death. | The prince has expressed his deep sadness at her death. |
| The pair were both commissioned as officers on the same day in December during a parade at the academy, which was attended by the Queen. | The pair were both commissioned as officers on the same day in December during a parade at the academy, which was attended by the Queen. |
| Kingsman Smith, from Liverpool, served in 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, alongside 2nd Lt Dyer. | Kingsman Smith, from Liverpool, served in 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, alongside 2nd Lt Dyer. |
| In a statement, his family described said the was the "most popular person you could ever know, everyone loved him and he has left so many broken hearts behind him". | In a statement, his family described said the was the "most popular person you could ever know, everyone loved him and he has left so many broken hearts behind him". |
| Cpl O'Neill, who was from Catterick, North Yorkshire, and Pte Dlugosz, from Southampton, were both in the Royal Army Medical Corps. | Cpl O'Neill, who was from Catterick, North Yorkshire, and Pte Dlugosz, from Southampton, were both in the Royal Army Medical Corps. |
| The families of the soldiers attended the private ceremony | The families of the soldiers attended the private ceremony |
| Cpl O'Neill, the father of two boys, was described by the MoD as an "experienced and confident medic, with an unflappable nature". He was involved in training Iraqi police in first aid. | Cpl O'Neill, the father of two boys, was described by the MoD as an "experienced and confident medic, with an unflappable nature". He was involved in training Iraqi police in first aid. |
| Pte Dlugosz, from Southampton, was a medic who was tasked with accompanying patrols. | Pte Dlugosz, from Southampton, was a medic who was tasked with accompanying patrols. |
| Sally Veck, Pte Dlugosz' mother, told the BBC earlier this week: "I would give anything, anything to have her back. | Sally Veck, Pte Dlugosz' mother, told the BBC earlier this week: "I would give anything, anything to have her back. |
| "Everybody knows that, but on the other hand this is what she wanted and we all had to support her." | "Everybody knows that, but on the other hand this is what she wanted and we all had to support her." |
| The deaths brought the number of UK service personnel who have died since the hostilities in Iraq to 140, of whom 108 died in action. | The deaths brought the number of UK service personnel who have died since the hostilities in Iraq to 140, of whom 108 died in action. |