Thousands of people paid tribute at the funeral service yesterday of a “model soldier” killed in Afghanistan.

Rifleman James Backhouse of 2nd Battalion The Rifles died in an explosion near Sangin in Helmand province on July 10. The 18-year-old was one of five soldiers killed near Sangin on the same day.

Around 2,000 people attended Rifleman Backhouse's funeral at Holy Cross Church in his home town of Castleford, West Yorkshire, with most lining the streets outside the church and listening to the service through loudspeakers.

The funeral came on the same day that the Ministry of Defence named another soldier from Castleford killed in Afghanistan.

Bombardier Craig Hopson (24) of 40th Regiment Royal Artillery died on Saturday when the Jackal vehicle he was travelling in struck a roadside bomb.

Before the service Captain John Mabb of The Rifles paid tribute to an enthusiastic and popular soldier.

He said: “Rifleman James Backhouse was a young Rifleman who had just started his military career.

“He was on his first operational tour to Helmand in Afghanistan and had already set himself aside from other fellows by taking on challenges, his enthusiasm and fitness. He was a model soldier.”

Local veterans acted as standard bearers as the funeral procession arrived at the church yesterday, lowering their flags as the hearse containing floral tributes spelling the words ‘hero' and ‘Grandson' pulled up to applause from those waiting outside.

An honour guard formed from 10 members of his regiment lined the route to the front door of the church and as pall-bearers, also soldiers, carried Rifleman Backhouse's coffin into the church, Michael Jackson's ‘You Are Not Alone' played.

The soldier's parents Andrew and Sharon and his three brothers Gareth (25), Dean (23) and Ryan (15) followed the coffin, each carrying a single rose.

In the 40-minute service, Rev Tracy Ibbotson described a determined, fun-loving young man with a “cheeky smile”, a huge fan of local rugby team the Castleford Tigers and a supporter of Manchester United.

Rifleman Backhouse died alongside Corporal Jonathan Horne (28), Rifleman Daniel Simpson (20) and Riflemen William Aldridge and Joseph Murphy, both 18, on what their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson, called a “grim day”.

In a tribute read by Ms Ibbotson, Lt Col Thomson described Rifleman Backhouse as a “determined, vigorous and thoughtful man who saw the lighter side of life”.

Mr and Mrs Backhouse's eulogy spoke of their surprise when their son decided to join up. “At school he would never do what he was told, so when he came home and said he wanted to join the Army everyone laughed at him, but he loved being in the Army,” they said.

They added: “We are proud of all four of our sons and James will rest in our hearts forever.”

After the ceremony the coffin was carried out to the strains of a regimental hymn for the journey to the cemetery, pausing for a few moments outside Rifleman Backhouse's beloved rugby league club, Castleford Tigers.