The mother of a British soldier killed in Afghanistan today paid tribute to her son, describing him as a ''fun-loving action man'' who was ''so proud to be a soldier''.
Private Thomas Lake, from the Hampshire-based 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (1 PWRR), died on Sunday in a blast from an improvised explosive device in the Nahr-e Saraj district of central Helmand.
Pte Lake, 29, from Watford, was serving as a part of Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (South) and was a member of a joint foot patrol with Afghan National Security Forces.
Today his mother Carol said: ''Tom was a wonderful son and I will miss him more than I can say.
''He had so many friends who will remember him as a loyal, fun-loving action man who was always the first to try anything new and usually excelled at it.
''Tom loved the Army and was so proud to be a soldier; he died doing something he loved and believed in. I will always be proud of my boy.''
His death takes the number of British troops who have died since operations in Afghanistan began in 2001 to 389.
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