Pte Nathan Cuthbertson fulfilled his childhood dream by "following in his father's footsteps" and becoming a gunner for the Parachute Regiment, his parents said tonight.

Pte Nathan Cuthbertson
- MAIN STORY: Sunderland para died a hero
- Sympathy from mother who knows the pain.
- Sombre mood at former school.

The 19-year-old, from Sunderland - one of three soldiers killed in a suicide attack in Afghanistan which took the total number of British troops killed in the country to 100 - was described as an "excellent soldier" and a "mega bloke" by colleagues.

>> Leave your tribute to Nathan at the bottom of this page

In a statement, his parents Tom and Carla said: "He died a hero, doing a job he loved amongst his friends. Nathan had a real passion for life - he always had a smile and was quick to make friends.

"A dearly loved and devoted son, brother, grandson and friend to all who had the privilege of meeting him, his death will leave a massive hole in all of our lives. We will not forget him."

They added: "Nathan realised his childhood dream by following his dad's footsteps and joining the Parachute Regiment as a machine gunner."

Private Lee Cunliffe, his best friend, said: "He was always up for a laugh. I am truly sorry and gutted about what has happened to him out here, I have lost my best friend.

"He was an excellent soldier and man. I will never forget him and the good times we had together."

Pte Cuthbertson was fatally injured, along with his colleagues Private Daniel Gamble and Private Charles David Murray, of 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, when a lone insurgent detonated an explosive device as they returned to base in Helmand Province.

Lance Corporal Alan Farmer, second in command of Pte Cuthbertson's regiment, said: "Nathe was a tremendous character within the section. He always worked hard for everyone and was an essential part of the platoon.

"He never complained and always did everything to the best of his ability. Put simply - he was a mega bloke."

Pte Cuthbertson had been fast-tracked since beginning his military career at 16.

After initially training with the Parachute Regiment, he moved on to the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick where he completed his basic training.

He joined 2nd Battalion in December 2006 and, in under a year, passed the infantry assault engineers course, usually reserved for more experienced soldiers.

During pre-deployment training and deployment to Afghanistan, he again excelled operating the platoon's specialist weapon, the general purpose machine gun.

>> Leave your tributes to Nathan using the comment box below...

* Please note that there may be a delay between your comment being submitted and approval for publication on the site.