Afghan assassin kills five British soldiers in ambush

Five British soldiers were shot dead and six were wounded when a rogue Afghan policeman opened fire without warning in a military compound, the Ministry of Defence said today.

The men, three Grenadier Guards and two military policemen, were off duty and had removed their body armour and helmets as they relaxed after a patrol with Afghan police who they were training.

One of the Afghans, probably high on heroin, picked up a Kalashnikov machinegun and began shooting before fleeing on a motorbike in Helmand Province.

Two of the Grenadier Guards were named as James Major, 18, and Sergeant Matt Telford, a father of two who joined up at 16.

VIDEO: Casualties arriving at Camp Bastion after Afghanistan shooting

Sgt Telford's uncle, William Ferrand, said: "Matt lived for his job, he loved it. Everybody knows what a wonderful lad he was."

Sgt Telford leaves a wife, Kerry, and sons
aged four and nine.

Mr Ferrand said: "Whatever Kerry wants, we will do as much as we can to help her. We are a military family."

The other Grenadier Guard and the two military police are believed to have connections with Aldershot.

The soldiers had been out yesterday with men from the Afghan National Police, who they were mentoring, in an area known by the British as "the Wild West".

The killings take the total British deaths in Afghanistan to 229 and makes this year the worst for loss of military lives since the Falklands with 92 killed.

Gordon Brown told the Commons the Taliban had claimed responsibility. He said: "The death of five brave soldiers in a single incident is a terrible loss."

He vowed to continue with the mentoring programme because it was "what the Taliban fear most".

In London, flags were flying at halfmast at Wellington Barracks, home to the Grenadier Guards.