An RAF volunteer who served in Afghanistan is to be given a full military funeral today.

Colin Pratt-Hooson died at the age of 43 after developing cancer in his leg where he had suffered deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

He will be sent off with honours at Brighton's Downs Crematorium.

Corporal Pratt-Hooson was a dedicated Royal Auxiliary Airforce volunteer who was given a Lord Lieutenant's Award for outstanding achievement.

The ceremony took place shortly after he had been diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

Cpl Pratt-Hooson, of Cumberland Road, Preston Park, was an IT manager who signed up with the volunteer airforce in 1997.

Normally based at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, the RAF took him to Italy, Malta, Kabul in Afghanistan and Pristina in Kosovo for up to a year at a time. His last posting was about three years ago.

He died on May 21 after suffering leukaemia and having three bouts of chemotherapy.

His RAF colleagues and members of the 176 Hove Air Training Corps, where he also volunteered, were due to pay their respects at the funeral service today.

His widow Madelene said: "I am so proud of him. I couldn't be prouder.

"He was an exceptional man. He was a loving husband and he loved his daughter."

The couple were married on May 16 after 22 years together. They first met while both working for American Express.

Cpl Pratt-Hooson, originally from Bedfordshire, travelled a great deal as a child because his father Roger was in the RAF.

He wanted to be a pilot but his eyesight was not good enough.

Instead, in the auxiliaries he was in charge of trim sheets, used to load planes by calculating aircraft weight and centre of gravity.

Mrs Pratt-Hooson, 60, said: "He was mad on planes. His one love was to fly.

"He achieved a lot of his dreams. He always got to sit in the cockpit. He made a lot of friends there."

His civilian job was at the NHS in Durrington, Worthing.

It is not known how his DVT developed.

Cpl Pratt-Hooson leaves daughter Laura, 18, granddaughter Jennifer, three, and stepson Paul, 27.

Cpl Pratt-Hooson's family have asked for donations in lieu of flowers to be made to the RAF c/o Teresa Baker, Caring Lady Funeral Director, 155 Lewes Road, Brighton, BN2 3LG or call 01273 626326.

The funeral takes place today at Downs Crematorium at 1.30pm.