A SECURITY guard who was protecting workers helping to rebuild Iraq has been killed in a road accident near Baghdad.

Darren Birch, from Bury, suffered severe head injuries and died in Baghdad Central Hospital after the armoured vehicle in which he was travelling collided with a water tanker, days before he was due to return home.

He had planned to marry later this year.

The 30-year-old former Derby High pupil had been working as a security guard in Iraq for the past 12 months, after leaving the Household Cavalry, of Knightsbridge, London, three years ago.

Darren had recently been appointed second-in-command of his team and his job involved protecting professionals such as architects and engineers who had been drafted in to help rebuild Iraq.

Darren was travelling in a convoy of vehicles, on the morning of Wednesday, December 28, when it was hit by a water tanker travelling in the opposite direction.

The bullet-proof Nissan, in which he was a passenger, lost control and it is believed up to four other men, including the driver, were injured.

Darren, who was due to leave Iraq in April, was airlifted to hospital for treatment but died later that day.

His family are devastated by his death and more than 200 people were expected at his funeral today at St Johns CE Church, Walmersley.

His mum Pamela Birch, who works at Bury Hospice, said: "I am proud to have had such a wonderful, caring, handsome and loving son.

"Darren had achieved so much in his life but he was a down-to-earth, ordinary bloke but special."

Darren joined the Life Guards section of the Household Cavalry after leaving school, and up until then lived in the family home in Milner Avenue, Bury, with his older sisters Deborah Turbill and Samantha Perkins.

He had made his home in Greenwich with his partner of two years Kelly Trabucchi, aged 30, an air stewardess.

They had met in Cape Town while on holiday, and were planning to get engaged there following Darrens return home on January 2.

An October wedding in Mauritius was planned, involving all the family.

Kelly, who is currently staying with Darrens family, said: "Darren had sent me a text on the morning of his death and we had spoken the night before. He was so excited about coming home.

"Our relationship was full of laughter. I will love him forever. This was a freak accident which could have happened in London or anywhere."