'Suicide' bomb kills county marine

A Shropshire Royal Marine with a young son has been killed by a 13-year-old suspected suicide bomber in Afghanistan.

Marine Damian Davies, 27, who was born in Wrockwardine Wood, Telford, was one of three British soldiers killed in the Sangin area of Helmand province yesterday.

Marine Davies, whose family lives in Telford, died when the teenager detonated a bomb.

See also: County soldier hurt in bomb blast

The boy was thought to have been carrying the bomb hidden under papers in a wheelbarrow.

Marine Davies, from Commando Logistics Regiment, died in the blast along with two 45 Commandos.

The teenager died as a result of the explosion and it is not yet known if he was a suicide bomber or if the device was detonated remotely.

A third member of 45 Commando died following another explosion in the Sangin area in a separate incident earlier in the day.

Marine Davies had been married to Joanne, also from Telford, for a three-and-a-half years.

The couple have an 19-month-old son, Matthew.

Joanne's father, Alan Talbot, said news of his son-in-law's death was broken to the family yesterday.

Mr Talbot, of London Road, St Georges, said Joanne was too upset to talk about the tragedy.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown today paid tribute to the four dead Marines when he paid a surprise visit to the main UK military base in southern Afghanistan.

Speaking to troops in Camp Bastion, he said: "It is a terrible commentary on the Taliban that they should use a 13-year-old child to be a suicide bomber to kill some of our British troops.

"My thoughts are with the families of those who have died, with the friends of those who have died.

"These men will never be forgotten for what they have achieved on behalf of our country."

He added: "We are safer in Britain, the people of Britain are safer because of what you do there, checking the Taliban, operating as the frontline against them, making sure that they can't make advances, holding them in and holding al-Qaida in as well."

Mr Brown told troops that Britain was safer because of the work they are doing fighting the Taliban.

The next of kin of all the Marines have been informed.

Commander Paula Rowe, spokeswoman for Task Force Helmand, described the death of the Marines as "an incredibly sad day for Task Force Helmand".

She added: "The tragic deaths of these Royal Marines have come as a huge blow to us all.

"Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things to go through.

"Our heartfelt sympathies go out to their families, friends and comrades at this terrible time."

Brigadier General Richard Blanchette, of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said: "These servicemen died helping bring peace and security to the Afghan people."

By Simon Hardy