Tributes to Briton killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan blast
THE FAMILY of a security contractor from West Yorkshire killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan have spoken of their loss.
Michael Hampshire, from Golcar, Huddersfield, died when an explosives-packed car was detonated by the Taliban close to the airport in the strife-torn country’s capital of Kabul on Sunday.
Mr Hampshire, known as Mic, was travelling in a convoy of vehicles belonging to Eupol, the European Union police training mission, when the bomb went off.
He and his fiancée, Claire Taylor, are thought to have got engaged in November last year.
Yesterday, Mr Hampshire’s father, Martin, said he had been asked not to speak publicly about the tragedy.
But in a statement released by the Foreign Office last night, his family told of their loss, saying: “Michael was a loving fiancé, son, grandson, brother, uncle, cousin and a friend to everyone who knew him.
“No words can explain what we are going through at this time and we will miss Michael dearly.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank people for the messages we have received.”
Social media tributes included a message on Facebook from Nick Baker, who wrote: “An absolute legend of a man with a heart of gold.”
Mr Hampshire was the second Briton killed by the Taliban in the space of five days.