Sculpture of Fife soldier Liam Tasker could help other troops

A sculpture of a Fife soldier shot dead in Afghanistan could be used to help other injured squaddies.

The image of Lance Corporal Liam Tasker relaxing with his sniffer dog Theo formed the basis for the artwork by fellow soldier Major Lee Smart.

Liam, from Kirkcaldy, was killed while on patrol in Helmand Province in 2011 and Theo died of a seizure shortly afterwards.

The 26-year-old and his 22-month-old springer spaniel made 14 explosive finds in five months while on the frontline.

Lee, who serves in the Royal Signals, has included Liam is a series of soldier-themed bookends which he hopes charity Help for Heroes can sell to raise vital funds.

He also hopes to be able to gift the original model to Liam’s mum, Jane Duffy, when he travels from his Bedfordshire base to his hometown of Perth later this year.

Jane said she would be delighted to have the statue into her home and welcomed the fact it would be raising funds for Help for Heroes.

She said: “The sculpture looks really good. He’s done an amazing job.

“It’s really important to us that people remember my son that’s my greatest fear as a mother, that people forget him.”