THE former school of a North-East serviceman killed in Afghanistan is installing a permanent memorial to the fatherof- three in its playground.

The Friends of St Andrew’s Primary School group, in Bishop Auckland, have arranged the installation of a memorial bench at the school in tribute to Corporal Lee Brownson, who died while leading a night patrol in Sangin last year.

He was posthumously awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

Cpl Brownson, from Bishop Auckland, attended the primary school, where he met his future wife, Leeanne, who is also a former pupil.

Their daughters Ginalee, 11, and Morgan, six, currently attend the school.

The Friends group, which comprises parents and grandparents of pupils, will unveil the bench during the school’s summer fair on Friday, June 10, after a private memorial service for Cpl Brownson’s close family and friends.

Poignantly, the event will take place on the first birthday of the couple’s son, Lee-Junior – the precious baby that Cpl Brownson never got to meet, as he was killed while Mrs Brownson was three months’ pregnant.

A spokeswoman for the group thanked Evershed, in Bishop Auckland, for donating the bench, Ultimate Flowers for providing flowers and the Crusty Loaf, in the town, for donating refreshments for the event.

She said: “We wanted to do something in Lee’s memory because he went to the school and we all know Leeanne and her children.

“Their oldest daughter is leaving the school at the end of term so we wanted to do something while she was still there.”

It is hoped that a representative from the Territorial Army, where Cpl Brownson started his military career as a teenager, will also attend the memorial service.

Margaret Yates, headteacher at the school, said: “Cpl Lee Brownson was a proud and loving father and we are proud to honour his memory with a memorial bench in our playground.”

Members of the public are invited to attend the school fair, which starts at 2pm.