Warrant Officer Dan Shirley, 32, from Leicester, serving with the 13th Air Assault Support regiment, was on patrol from Sangin to Camp Bastion in Helmand Province when he died on Friday.

The news comes as the Ministry of Defence revealed another British soldier was killed on Saturday in Afghanistan by a mine explosion.

Warrant Officer Shirley leaves two young children.

Defence Secretary Des Browne praised WO Shirley's professionalism and determination. He said: "I know that he will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at what must be the most difficult of times."

The soldier killed on Saturday in Afghanistan by a mine explosion was from B Company 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. He was on patrol in the Lashkar Gar area when he stepped on a "legacy" anti-personnel mine.

He was killed instantly. Next of kin have been informed.

The MoD spokesman said: "He was part of a vehicle checkpoint patrol operating in the Lashkar Gar area when they received a report of an RPG attack on a civilian aircraft at Bost airfield in Lashkar Gar.

"When investigating this they dismounted their vehicles and that is when what is believed to have been a legacy anti-personnel mine detonated, killing the soldier instantly. The soldier's next of kin have been informed and have requested a 24-hour period of grace before further details are released."

The latest death takes to 110 the number of British service personnel who have lost their lives since the start of operations in Afghanistan in November 2001.