Murdered army skydiver Stephen Hilder was described as "brave" and with a "zest for life", as hundreds gathered to mourn him at his funeral yesterday.

The Reverend Jimmy Morrison led a celebration of the 20-year-old officer cadet's life at the Church of St Mary The Virgin in his home village of Burghill, near Hereford.

Sabotaged

The church was packed with more than 300 of his relatives, friends and military colleagues.

Mr Hilder plunged 13,000ft to his death at Hibaldstow Airfield, north Lincolnshire, on July 4 after his main and reserve parachutes were sabotaged.

Reverend Morrison drew laughter from the congregation as he described Mr Hilder, whom he had known since he was a teenager, as "no mean humourist" and a prankster, but someone who also had a strong spiritual side.

The vicar added: "He had a zest for life. I saw him as first class officer material. He really was an excellent chap.

"I was quite convinced that he had ahead of him a very, very fine career.

"There was no question in my mind at all.

"I could sense that blend of bravery and common sense which makes the good soldier."

Under grey skies and spitting rain, Mr Hilder's coffin was brought into the Norman church by six pallbearers - comrades from the Royal Military College of Science at the Defence Academy near Swindon, Wiltshire.

The coffin was draped with a Union flag and topped with the skydiver's regimental beret, belt and wreath of white chrysanthemums.

Mr Morrison urged the congregation to celebrate Mr Hilder's life, but also told his parents, Mary and Paul, and sister Kate that their pride "must be tinged with despair and desolation".

The clergyman added that Mr Hilder had made a huge impact on the lives of people he knew, including a group of primary school children that he had coached in sports after joining the academy following a year at Bristol University, where he had studied civil engineering.

Describing Mr Hilder's decision to convert to Roman Catholicism and his concern that this might hurt his loved ones, Mr Morrison said: "There was this guy who was sensitive, loving, thoughtful and considerate, and that is really the way I will remember him.

"One thing was absolutely clear: he never, ever wanted to cause anyone pain.

"This was the young man who, after serious thought, decided to offer his life to the service of his country by joining Her Majesty's forces.

"This was the strong-minded, great-hearted young man who is, if you like, a counter-balance to the popular image of Stephen who is a bit more Jack-the-lad."

Prayers to help find his killer

During the service Kate Hilder and three of the cadet's friends recited the poem High Flight by the American Second World War pilot John Gillespie Magee, who was based in Lincolnshire during the conflict and died aged 19 in a mid-air collision.

His godmother, Jill Barber, recited a poem she had written called For Steve which contained the lines: "You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back, or you can do what he wants, smile, open your eyes, love and go on."

The skydiver's girlfriend, Ruth Woodhouse, aged 24, from Stafford, and another comrade, naval officer Lieutenant Jason Saunders, drew repeated laughter from the congregation when they remembered his love of amateur dramatics and a tongue in cheek set of stage laws that he had drawn up called "Steve's Rules For The Theatre".

These included advice on stage fights, with Mr Hilder suggesting: "If you are required to fall over, perform one parachute roll" and encouraging leading men to become romantically involved with their leading ladies.

Hymns included Mr Hilder's favourite Lord the Light of Your Love is Shining, while the music before the service started was a collection of his favourites such as Aerosmith's Walk This Way and the themes to Superman and Star Wars.

Father David Kelly, senior chaplain at the Defence Academy, said prayers in which he called on God to help the team of detectives from Humberside Police - of whom the two leading officers were in the congregation - for help to catch Mr Hilder's killer.

Police launched a murder inquiry after discovering that the cord on Mr Hilder's main chute and the strapping on the reserve had been deliberately cut before he made his last jump with two friends at the end of a week-long competition at the airfield.

The equipment was repacked in such a way that Mr Hilder failed to notice that it had been tampered with.

At the end of the hour-long service the funeral procession filed silently out of the church to the tune of the Dona Requiem.

The coffin was taken to a grave near the church for a burial attended by close family and friends.

Outside church, Mr Hilder's officer commanding Major Charlie Sturrock told reporters that a memorial service for the cadet would be held in October when students return from their summer vacations and military exercises.

Major Sturrock paid tribute to the cadet, adding: "He took part in various activities outside the academic field including a local band, amateur dramatics and sport skydiving.

"He had the complete range of sports activities that we would expect of an officer cadet.

"This is a particularly sad day, it is the loss of a young life and a man who had a good career ahead of him."

At the young officer's graveside were about half a dozen floral tributes. One from his parents read: "Blue skies Steve, all our love forever, mum and dad."

Another from Miss Woodhouse read: "My boy, my friend, you brought me life with laughter and light, you stood by my side and gave me strength, you are a bit of a git but I love ya. In amongst the verbal abuse, you gave me life."