THE funeral of Dartmouth soldier and fire-fighter Robin Payne will take place tomorrow in Plymouth.

The 20-strong team of Dartmouth fire-fighters will be attending the service in Eggbuckland to say a last farewell to the 34-year-old father of four who died suddenly a week ago from a massive heart attack.

It is believed that some of the fire team will be acting as pall bearers.

Lance Corporal Payne lived with his wife Charlotte and their children in Dartmouth.

He served with the Devon and Dorset Regiment for five years seeing service in Bosnia and Northern Ireland before joining the Military Provost Guard Service maintaining security at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.

He had been a retained fireman in Dartmouth for 18 months.

Lance Corporal Payne will receive a full military funeral tomorrow including an honour-guard gun salute fired over his coffin.

L/Cpl Payne was at home last Tuesday when he collapsed and died.

His death has stunned his fellow fire-fighters who were about to join him on a 136-mile hike from Lands End to Dartmouth in full fire fighting gear, to raise money for charity.

L/Cpl Payne had been organising the fundraising event.

His fire fighting comrades plan to go ahead with the event on August 21 in his memory.