SOLDIERS formed in a guard of honour as a colleague who died in a car crash has been buried with full military honours.

Roger Fothergill, 17, of South Valley Drive, Colne, died on December 28 after the crash in his mother's Peugeot 106 car in Cotton Tree Lane, Colne.

There was standing room only at Majestic Church in Barnoldswick as hundreds of mourners stood in silence to watch soldier pals from the 1st Battalion Queen's Lancashire Regiment carry his coffin up to the first-floor church.

On top of the coffin was a Union flag, his military cap and belt and a wreath of poppies.

In a moving service, family friends read out tributes which had been written by his parents Anne and James.

After the service the cortege and mourners gathered at Barrowford Cemetery where the soldiers fired a volley of shots over the grave.

His mother's tribute said: "Roger was my youngest child, my baby as I used to tease him. Although I loved him dearly I would be the first to say he wasn't a perfect son.

"During his teenage years he brought me a lot of worry and anguish as he got into various scrapes as he was trying to find his way in life.

"One day in his last term at school he said he wanted to join the army.

"He was offered a place at Harrogate Foundation College and he left in September 1999 to start training.

"After six weeks' initial training he came home a new person. He had a pride in himself I had never seen before.

"I can look back on the last 15 months and remember the caring and loving son he became to me. We had a wonderful close bond which is so precious to me, now as then."

His father tried to deliver his tribute but broke down and a friend read the words.

His brother Mark told the congregation: "He had a happy life, a full life as rich as any man can get.

"I am just so proud of him. I am proud he was my brother. The memories I have got live on, they will never die. Roger will never die."

His sister Helen fought back tears as she said: "He called me his big little sister. When he found the army he found his vocation.

"We said if he survived the first six weeks he would be a soldier for life, and he was.

"He went to the army a boy -- and came back a man."

His Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Davies spoke of how the battalion was like a family and so in a way two families were mourning Roger's death.

He told of how Roger used to take friends home to Colne when he was in training at Harrogate and how he impressed him at his initial interview describing him as a "respectful, confident, reliable young man".

"He was looking forward to our forthcoming Northern Ireland tour with relish," he said.

"It is a matter of deep regret that he will not be with us for that tour or any other."

Pastor at the Majestic Bruce Riley led the service and the battalion padre the Rev Hector Wanliss led prayers for the family and for the two survivors of the crash John Haigh, 17, of Skipton Road, Colne, who received serious injuries and Steven Mitchell, 16, of Burnley Road, Cliviger, who received bruises.