Corrie Mckeague: Memorial held at RAF Honington

Corrie McKeague was based at RAF Honington in Suffolk

The RAF paid tribute to gunner Corrie Mckeague as family and friends attended a memorial service at his former base.

Mr Mckeague, an airman of Dunfermline, Fife, was 23 when he vanished on a night out in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in September 2016.

An inquest in March concluded he died after getting into a commercial bin which was tipped into a waste lorry.

His mother Nicola Urquhart greeted mourners outside the church at RAF Honington, where he was stationed.

Mr Mckeague's brother Daroch Mckeague and sister-in-law Cloe Mckeague were among those at the ceremony.

Attendees were pictured wearing yellow, blue and green after the family encouraged mourners to adopt bright colours to the service.

Station Commander Group Captain Dutch Holland said in a statement: "I am privileged to have the memorial service for SAC Corrie Mckeague today here at RAF Honington where he spent his RAF Regiment career.

"Our thoughts continue to be with SAC Mckeague's family, friends and colleagues and all those whose lives he touched."

Mr Mckeague died on 24 September in Bury St Edmunds as a result of "compression asphyxia in association with multiple injuries", jurors at the inquest recorded.

Nicola Urquhart, Corrie McKeague's mother, said she had struggled to come to terms with the findings of the inquest

Writing on a Facebook page in July, Ms Urquhart said that she had "struggled to come to terms" with the findings, but "as a family we are ready to have a memorial for Corrie".

"I will never be able to thank the RAF for all they have done and tried to do for us, for all they did for Corrie."

The family requested no flowers and instead took a collection for the RAF Benevolent Fund.