A BRITISH Army soldier, 24, died after being hit by a lorry while walking near a busy road – as his mum paid tribute to her "happy" son.
Intelligence specialist Lance Corporal Kayde Kumar, 24, was struck on one of the UK's busiest trunk roads by an HGV whose driver couldn't see him in time.
Mystery remains over why LCpl Kumar was walking west on the carriageway along the A303 as he did not appear to be travelling towards his base in Upavon, Wiltshire, which was 10 miles north of him.
LCpl Kumar – who had previously walked nine miles home from nights out to avoid £30 taxi fares – was almost struck by passing cars several times but didn't seem to be aware, his inquest was told.
The 24-year-old was almost three times the drink limit, having been out in the nearby town of Amesbury, Wilts, with four other soldiers drinking over five pints of lager, Disaronno and cokes, and shots.
Then, around 2.10am on January 28 last year, while around three miles east of Stonehenge, the soldier with the Intelligence Corps was hit by the wing mirror of the DAF lorry and was pronounced dead two hours later in hospital.
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He was 'inconspicuous' due to his dark clothing, was not walking on the footpath adjacent to the A303, and had declined a lift home from his friends during the night out.
At Salisbury Coroner's Court, Wilts, Coroner David Ridley concluded alcohol impaired his thinking and that he would have been hard to see due to his dark clothing and reflective traffic cones.
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His mum Zoe Kumar, from Wrexham, Wales, said: "He was having an exceptional career and was highly-respected by his military colleagues and peers.
"Keeping fit was something he loved, he liked long walks and hikes with friends. He was a selfless individual who raised money for charity, doing the Three Peak Challenge.
"He was a passionate sportsman, he was a black belt in karate and and a keen footballer.
"He was the life and soul of the party. He loved going out to socialise, whether for food or drinks, he valued spending time with his friends and it always made him so happy.
"He was always happy, always smiling, he had the most amazing smile. I was so proud to be his mum."
LCpl Kumar, who had three brothers and was also from Wrexham, joined the Army in 2019 and had recently served in Afghanistan.
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