The bodies of the five soldiers were flown into RAF Lyneham

The bodies of five UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan have been repatriated.

Lance Sergeant Dave Greenhalgh, L/Cpl Darren Hicks, Kingsman Sean Dawson, Rifleman Mark Marshall and Sapper Guy Mellors were flown into RAF Lyneham, in Wiltshire.

The soldiers were killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan's Helmand province between 11 and 15 February.

Sapper Mellors' death on Monday brought the total number of UK personnel killed in the conflict to 261.

The 20-year-old, from Coventry, died in a blast north-east of Sangin.

Roadside bomb

Sapper Mellors, of 36 Engineer Regiment, was part of a team responsible for detecting improvised bombs and was described as an "outstanding searcher".

The plane carrying the five bodies landed at RAF Lyneham earlier.

Their coffins were then taken through the streets of nearby Wootton Bassett, before heading to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Veterans and residents lined the streets to pay their respects, in what has become a tradition in the town.

Kingsman Sean Dawson, 19, from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, was shot in a suspected "friendly fire" incident while serving with 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment in Musa Qala on Sunday.

His father, also Sean, said his son "loved everything about the Army - it was his life".

Territorial Army Rifleman Mark Marshall, a 29-year-old police support officer from Exeter, was killed by a roadside bomb north-east of Sangin the same day.

'Talented soldier'

A member of 6th Battalion, the Rifles, he was serving in Helmand with 3 Rifles Battle Group.

One officer said the "policeman by day" was a "talented soldier by night".

L/Sgt Greenhalgh, 25, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, died in an explosion while on vehicle patrol near Lashkar Gah on Saturday.

He was serving with 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards and was helping to secure a route for a patrol.

His death was one of the first among coalition forces involved in the Moshtarak offensive, which saw more than 15,000 US, UK and Afghan troops sweep into Marjah and Nad Ali on Saturday in a bid to secure government control.

The operation was the biggest Afghan mission since the 2001 invasion.

L/Cpl Hicks, 29, from 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, died while on patrol in the Babaji district of Helmand province on February 11.

The father-of-two, from Mousehole in Cornwall, was described by his commanding officer as "one of the finest lance corporals currently serving".

His widow Katie said "he was taken doing the job he loved".