AN inquest into the deaths of two soldiers who were fatally injured at a firing range will open this week.

Corporals Matthew Hatfield, who grew up in Everleigh and was a former pupil at Pewsey Vale School, and Darren Neilson, both serving with the Wiltshire-based Royal Tank Regiment, died from injuries they suffered at the Castlemartin ranges in Pembrokeshire on June 14.

The Ministry of Defence said two other soldiers were seriously injured in the incident at the training base, which is used by tanks and armoured units for gunnery exercises.

The inquest into the deaths of Cpl Hatfield and Cpl Neilson, who had both served in Iraq and Afghanistan, will open in Birmingham on Friday.

After his death his mother Frances Chandler said she was being helped to come to terms with the tragedy by the support from her son's many friends in the local community.

Cpl Hatfield was a keen sportsman and had played rugby for Devizes, cricket for Collingbourne Ducis and swum for Pewsey and Tidworth.