A SAWTRY mother whose brave and courageous son died while on active service in Iraq has said he should never have been sent to fight in an illegal war. Eileen Shearer, of Rockingham Road, said she blames Tony Blair for the death of her 24-year-old s

A SAWTRY mother whose "brave and courageous" son died while on active service in Iraq has said he should never have been sent to fight in an "illegal war."

Eileen Shearer, of Rockingham Road, said she blames Tony Blair for the death of her 24-year-old son, Lance Corporal Karl Shearer.

Mrs Shearer told The Hunts Post: "I blame Tony Blair for what happened, I fully accept that Karl was a solider but he shouldn't have died in an illegal war.

"I feel a lot of anger towards Tony Blair because the war shouldn't have taken place. The troops should have been pulled out long ago."

An inquest held last week found that L/Cpl Shearer had died in an armoured vehicle accident in southern Iraq on April 1 2003.

L/Cpl Shearer joined the Air Cadets at the age of 14, wanting to be a pilot, but decided to pursue a career in the army instead at 17.

His mother described her son as a "happy go lucky chap who was always merry."

"Karl seemed to light up the room when he walked into it. He had a very

bubbly personality and lots of friends."

L/Cpl Shearer, who had a 22-year-old sister Candice and a 25-year-old brother Ryan, lived in Windsor with his wife, Suzie, 28, and seven-year-old daughter, Lauren.

Suzie, said: "Karl was a loving, supportive husband and father. He was very much loved and will be missed terribly."

Mrs Shearer added: "It all happened four years ago and the inquest has meant it has dragged on.

"We won't ever get over the loss of our son, but now we will, hopefully, be able to move on with our lives.