A talented young man who died young will be given a guard of honour by friends and colleagues in Slough's Air Training Corps at his funeral service tomorrow.

Russell Elsom, 31, of Meadfield Road, Langley, died on June 3 of complications arising from diabetes.

His connection with the 153 Slough Squadron ATC in Uxbridge Road went back to childhood. He left at 20 as a flight sergeant, returning as an adult to be a civilian instructor before being recently tempted back into uniform as a sergeant.

He had spent his life in Slough and Langley, attending Langley Manor School, Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe and Herschel Grammar.

He had been working 13 years at Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre, a sorting office for international mail operated by Royal Mail in Langley.

He rose from being a dispatcher to being a deputy manager.

This week his parents Alex and Tracy Elsom spoke about the modest son, who never boasted about his achievements.

The couple had emigrated to Canada after Mr Elsom retired.

Mrs Elsom said: "He had been getting on with his life. Since coming back here we have been learning so much that he never told us.

"We discovered how respected he was at work. He could come up with solutions and he was being given important projects."

Mr Elsom said: "He was someone who would do anything asked of him and then top it up that little bit.

"He loved baseball, the theatre, the cinema and reading."

As well as his parents Russell leaves his sister Kat and adored six-year-old niece Alyssa.

The funeral is being held today at St Mary's Church in Church Street, Slough at 3pm tomorrow (Friday). Reverend Linda Hillier from the church will officiate. She is the cadet's padre.

Before the service begins the cadets plan to form a guard of honour at the entrance to the church.