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Soldier honours dead mate with dress funeral pledge

Before they left for Afghanistan, British soldiers Kevin Elliott and Barry Delaney made a pact that whoever survived the other would wear a colourful dress to the dead man's funeral.

Mr Delaney made good that promise yesterday at his best friend's funeral. Hundreds of mourners watched as Mr Delaney arrived at the service wearing a bright green dress and hot pink leg warmers, The Times in London reports.

Mr Delaney wept on his knees at the graveside as shots were fired during the military funeral, The Times said.

Private Elliott, 24, was killed by a grenade while he and other members of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, were on foot patrol in the southern province of Helmand on August 31.

The Telegraph earlier reported that Pte Elliot, 24, had come close to leaving the Army, but opted to join his battalion in Afghanistan at the last moment.

Captain Harry Gladstone, Fire Support Group Commander, said: "I remember talking him shortly before we left Inverness to deploy to Afghanistan in March. He was dressed in his civilian clothes, having been de-kitted, and about to walk out of Fort George back to civilian life when he decided to sign back on. When asked why he decided to sign back on he simply said "I didn't want to miss the boys."