A SOLDIER who was on the brink of realising his dream by serving his country in the forces has been killed in an alleged hit and run accident.

Stuart Mason, 19, was due to fly out to Iraq next month to help the allied security forces as a gunner with the Territorial Army.

But instead his Southampton-based battery will leave without him after Stuart was mowed down by a driver who apparently failed to stop.

Stuart's family, who live in Romsey, said they were devastated by his death. His father Steve Mason, 46, told the Daily Echo: "It is just difficult to come to terms with. If he was killed say in Iraq it would have been something I could have come to terms with because he knew the risks and he would have died doing what he wanted to do.

"But to be killed like this by someone who apparently just left him there I just can't understand it. It is devastating. His brother Toby wears his dog tags around his neck now to remember him by."

Mr Mason spoke of how his son, who would have celebrated his 20th birthday next Saturday, was fulfilling his ambition of a lifetime to serve his country with the TA and was due to fly to Germany yesterday to finish his training before being sent out to Kuwait and on to Iraq.

He said: "Stuart was just Army, Army, Army. That is all he ever wanted to do, right from being a boy. He wanted to become a regular and was probably going to join after this tour of duty to Iraq.

"It is just such a waste."

Stuart, who lived with his grandmother at Nutsey Lane, Totton, had been with the TA as a cadet, rising to the rank of sergeant.

Stuart, a former pupil at Romsey School and member of the Romsey Wasps rugby team, was killed in the early hours of Thursday morning in Folkestone where he was undergoing final training in preparation for his deployment with the rest of the Royal Artillery 106 regiment.

He was knocked down by a dark blue car as he walked along a main road in the town after celebrating passing out his training.

It is understood the car mounted a pavement and struck a lamppost but then sped off.

Mr Mason said: "We have been told he was on his own because he wanted to get back to the barracks to prepare for packing up the next day."

Tributes to the young soldier, who leaves behind a sister Samantha, 16, two brothers Daniel, 16, and Toby, 14, have also been led by the TA.

Captain Chris Newman said: "He was always a very cheerful individual and exceptional soldier. He will be missed by all of his battery."

A full military funeral will be held for Stuart once his body has been released by the coroner in Folkestone.