An officer killed in action in southern Afghanistan on Friday was a "wonderful, loving son", his family has said.

Lieutenant Paul Mervis, from London - was a platoon commander with 2nd Battalion The Rifles and died in a blast near Sangin in northern Helmand Province.

Mr Mervis's family said: "Paul was a wonderful, loving son, brother and friend, generous and thoughtful, with an infectious sense of fun. Paul was killed doing the job he chose and loved.

"He was passionately committed to his men far beyond mere duty.

"He had read widely about Afghanistan, and went with a genuine desire to help bring enough stability there to enable reconstruction to follow."

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson said: "Lieutenant Paul Mervis was utterly irrepressible. There was no more committed officer in the Rifles and the Riflemen adored being under his command."

Mr Thomson added: "He was one of those leaders who, out here, was always first onto the objective.

"He adored platoon command and the richness of its challenge and there was nothing he would not do for one of his Riflemen.

"His mother and father were so proud of him and all that he had selflessly achieved and our thoughts and prayers must be with them and Paul's brother and sister at this unimaginably awful time.

"But this will be some solace - their son, Paul, died in command, at the front of his platoon, leading it on operations fighting in a just cause for the benefit of impoverished Afghans.

"He would want nothing more than for us to get back up onto the ramparts, with the Bugle sounding, to let the enemy know that we are coming back."

His death takes the number of British service personnel who have died in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 168.

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