Ben KendallThe family of an East Anglian gunner killed in Afghanistan have paid tribute to the 'best son, brother and boyfriend any of us could ever have wished for'.Ben Kendall

The family of an East Anglian gunner killed in Afghanistan have paid tribute to the 'best son, brother and boyfriend any of us could ever have wished for'.

Senior Aircraftman Luke Southgate, 20, from Bury St Edmunds, died after an explosion north of Kandahar Airfield, in Kandahar province, on Wednesday night.

The airman, from 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, based at RAF Honington near Thetford, was 12 days away from his 21st birthday.

His family said in a statement: 'We cannot find the words to describe the tragic loss of our dear son Luke.

'He was the best son, brother and boyfriend any of us could ever have wished for. He died doing the job he loved and always wanted to do. He will be in our hearts always and our thoughts forever.'

Comrades described the airman, who only deployed to Afghanistan in January, as a 'rising star'.

t Read more tributes to S/AC Southgate in Saturday's newspaper.