SCUNTHORPE soldier Ben Leaning's memory will be kept alive by a memorial wall to those killed in Iraq, according to his brother.

As reported on www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk yesterday, Cpl Leaning's mother, Tracey Hazel played a big part in the rededication service of the Basra Memorial Wall at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Cpl Leaning, 24, was killed in April 2007, while on duty in Iraq.

Following yesterday's ceremony, in which Mrs Hazel lit the Operation Telic Memorial Candle, Cpl Leaning's brother, Luke Francis, 22, said he was pleased to see his memory - and that of the 177 other UK personnel killed in the conflict - was living on.

Luke said: "It is nice to know that there are things happening all over the country and that this wall will be there forever.

"It is a lasting memory of all of the soldiers that died in Iraq."

Luke said his mother was proud to have been the one chosen to light the candle, which will be permanently housed in the memorial chapel at the Staffordshire arboretum.

She had previously lit it at a service held to remember those who died in Iraq at St Paul's Cathedral, last October.

Luke said: "She has been extremely lucky because a lot of parents don't get to do things like that."

Yesterday's service was attended by around 500 family members of the 178 UK Service personnel and one Ministry of Defence civilian killed during Operation Telic, the name given to UK operations in Iraq between 2003 and 2009.

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