THE funeral of a young Chorley soldier killed while on Easter leave took place on Wednesday(April 14).

Friends and relatives gathered at St George's CE Church in the town centre to remember the life of Lance Corporal Lee Anthony Duffin, who died in a road smash as he drove to see a friend.

Lee was due to stay at his home in Euxton for just two weeks before returning to Canada.

But the tragic soldier was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene in Saxilby, Lincs, after his black BMW convertible collided with a Toyota Corolla and a Ford Focus Estate on Saturday, April 3, just 24 hours after he arrived home.

Lee, 24, was serving as an electrical mechanical engineer with the Two Royal Tank Regiment and had served in Bosnia, Canada and Iraq.

He leaves parents Julie and Alan and a brother Kyle.