An Ashfield street will be named after a soldier from the district who died in Afghanistan.

Ashfield District Council's leader has confirmed the new street, in Kirkby, will be named after Rifleman Adrian Sheldon, 25, who was killed during the conflict in May 2009.

Rifleman Sheldon grew up in the town and joined the 2nd Battalion The Rifles in March 2001.

He served on operations in Sierra Leone, Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Iraq before leaving the Army to work in IT recruitment and for a driving agency.

He then rejoined the battalion and was deployed to Afghanistan, where he was killed on May 7, 2009, after an explosion in Helmand Province.

Following his death, the MoD described him as an "avid Mansfield Town supporter" who also enjoyed rugby and TV sports such as darts.

He was laid to rest in Kingsway cemetery, in Kirkby, and his family paid tribute to "our son, best mate [and] our hero".

Now Ashfield District Council has confirmed a new street will be named in his memory off Central Avenue, on Kingsway – directly opposite the cemetery he is buried in.

The authority says it has liaised with Rifleman Sheldon's family and they will be given the final say over how the street name is worded.

It follows a motion being submitted to the full council meeting on February 2 calling for a street to be named in his honour.

The motion, submitted by Hucknall West's councillors Chris Baron and Phil Rostance (both Con), also called for Lance Corporal Paul Sandford, from Hucknall, to receive the same honour.

The motion was not debated by the meeting due to it being an 'executive decision', with the proposals instead brought forward to the cabinet meeting on Tuesday (February 21).

And in the cabinet meeting, Cllr Jason Zadrozny (Ash Ind), the council's leader, confirmed plans are in place to remember both soldiers.

On plans to rename the street after Rifleman Sheldon, he said: "I have been speaking to the family of Adrian Sheldon.

"I'm pleased to say they are delighted to accept a street we are building on the end of Central Avenue in Kingsway, which is directly next to the war memorial and opposite his final resting place.

"I've given it to the family to choose options on how we name it, and they can come up with ideas to bring back to the council."

He added that LCpl Sandford will likely be honoured in the same way "as soon as we've got similar sites or something appropriate to name".

Cllr David Hennigan (Ind), who represents Central Sutton and New Cross, welcomed the initiatives.

He said: "I'm pleased to hear this, it was something we were well down the line of doing and it's absolutely right we find a way to remember people who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today."

The authority is also working with the family of Jamie Brough, chairman of Basford United and Hucknall-based organisation Sports Gateway, who died suddenly while on holiday last year.

The council expects to rename a pavilion at the Papplewick Green development, in Hucknall, in Mr Brough's honour in the coming months.