Residents who had gathered outside All Saints’ Church, on Church Street, burst into spontaneous applause as they paid their respects to the 24-year-old, who was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on Saturday July 25.

The dad-of-one’s coffin, draped in the Union flag, was carried into the church by his colleagues from 40th Regiment Royal Artillery to the strains of Green Day’s Wake Me Up When September Ends.

Craig’s heartbroken mother, Lynn Hodson, 46, his partner, Eleanor Fradgley, 23, and sister, Adele Varley, 26, led hundreds of mourners, who wore black and bright yellow to recognise his love of Castleford Tigers.

The funeral service was opened by the Rev Michael Wood, who spoke of the recent deaths in Afghanistan – including that of Rifleman James Backhouse, 18, last month.

Members of the young soldier’s family, of Queen’s Park Drive, Airedale, were in the congregation to pay their respects to the town’s second fallen son.

Mr Wood said: “It is a difficult time for members of the community as people come together for a second time to mourn the loss of one of its sons.

He added: “There are questions but so few answers, especially as we hear of even more deaths.”

The congregation, and mourners outside the church, sang hymn I Vow To Thee My Country before a sermon from the Rev Andrew Martlew.

The chaplain for 40th Regiment Royal Artillery spoke of Craig’s love for his three-month-old daughter, Amelia, and said she had a “great father to live up to”.

He read a tribute from Major Jeremy Sharpe, battery commander, which said: “Craig had a ready smile and was the first to start with friendly banter in any situation – his irreverent sense of humour was legendary.

“He attacked everything in life with verve and determination, whether at work, on the rugby field or in the bar.

“Hoppo enjoyed hiding his light under a bushel, his brash exterior thinly covering a man of intelligence, courage and compassion. He was the consummate professional.”

Craig was second-in-command to a fire support team in Afghanistan and was described by his commander as “irreplaceable”.

Capt James Banks said: “Hoppo was a larger than life character both in stature and personality – he carried a mature head on young shoulders and had a persona that none could match.

“From the first moment I met him I could see he was a character. His bubbly and individual style of soldiering made him an excellent and irreplaceable member of my fire support team.

“He had a wicked sense of humour and was more than capable of making fun of the most extraordinary situations.