A dozen dogs sat respectfully with their masters as the hearse carrying an Army dog handler killed in Afghanistan drove through Wootton Bassett yesterday.

Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, from the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, was shot on March 1 while on patrol with his Springer spaniel Theo.

Tragically Theo died hours later after suffering a seizure, with L/Cpl Tasker's family believing the dog died from a broken heart.

As has become custom, hundreds of people, including members of the Royal British Legion, joined the soldier's family in lining the main road through Wootton Bassett in tribute.

Movingly, as a single bell tolled to mark the arrival of the cortege into the Wiltshire town, several dogs could be heard barking.

Earlier the body of L/Cpl Tasker, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, and the ashes of Theo were flown to RAF Lyneham from Afghanistan.

In an interview with ITV News, L/Cpl Tasker's father, Ian, said he believed Theo had died from a broken heart.

"My honest opinion on this is, when Liam went down, that Theo didn't have the comfort from Liam to calm him down," he said. "I truly believe when Theo went back to the kennel, that that would have a big, big impact because Liam wasn't there to comfort him."

The Ministry of Defence said Theo's ashes were returned to British soil in the same aircraft as his handler.

While L/Cpl Tasker was the subject of the normal repatriation ceremony, Theo's ashes will be presented to his family in private in the near future.