A HAMPSHIRE serviceman’s death in Afghanistan may have been caused when a watching insurgent detonated an explosive device, an inquest heard.

Marine Richard Hollington, of 40 Commando Royal Marines, was injured in the blast in the Sangin district on June 12 last year but died from his wounds eight days later in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

He was the 300th British serviceman to lose his life because of the operation Afghanistan.

An inquest into his death heard that on the day of the explosion Marine Hollington, 23, a semi-professional footballer with Fareham Town, was part of a patrol that stopped to investigate possible improvised explosive devices (IEDs) when there was an explosion.

Colleague Sgt William Macfarlane said he briefly saw two men running from the area just after the explosion and also spotted a wire sticking out of the crater caused by the explosion, which led him to believe that a nearby insurgent had triggered the explosion.

Marine Hollington, from Petersfield, was treated at the scene before being taken back to the patrol base. He was flown to Camp Bastion where he was operated on before being moved to Birmingham for further treatment.

The inquest also heard from Dr N i c h o l a s Hunt, who said the cause of Marine Hollington’s death was meningitis and contaminated blast fragment wounds to the pelvis.

The inquest heard that it was not possible to know exactly when Marine Hollington developed the infection which led to him becoming seriously ill but Dr Susan Sinclair told the hearing it was known that he developed it very quickly.

Summing up, Coroner Aidan Cotter said that, from the evidence, he believed the explosive device had been triggered on purpose.

He said: “It seems to me highly probable that it was deliberate by people close by and watching.”

Delivering his ruling, Mr Cotter said: “Marine Richard Hollington was killed by the enemy while on active service for our country.”

Speaking after the inquest, Marine Hollington’s father Robin, who was also a Marine, said: “We said that Richard’s death left a huge numbing hole in the lives of our family and over the last 18 months that has proved to be the case.”

He said the family was hugely touched by the support of friends and family, particularly in fundraising following Marine Hollington’s death.

Mr Hollington said: “It has been comforting to find out how highly regarded Richard was held by all. We miss him terribly.”