THE mother of the youngest soldier to have died in the Afghanistan conflict says the postponement of a military parade in Bromyard means she will have to wait to unveil a plaque to her son.

Lucy Aldridge was hoping to unveil a dedication to 18-year-old William at St Peter's Church in the market town during a military event next month where his Rifles Regiment would be given the Freedom of the town.

But this has been postponed until later in the year, leaving Mrs Aldridge angry.

"I've been trying to get a memorial dedicated to William for the past seven years," she said.

"Earl Mortimer in Leominster has got one but there is nothing in Bromyard, his home town, to recognise his sacrifice.

"When they read his name on Remembrance Sunday, I have to lay a poppy wreath at a blank wall."

Rifleman Aldridge was killed in July 2009 by a roadside bomb.

Flown to Afghanistan shortly after his 18th birthday, he served for just 45 days before he was fatally injured in an explosion while helping victims of an earlier blast.

She said it was her understanding that the wheels were put in motion by a previous town clerk for the plaque, off his own back, but was shocked to hear the military parade wouldn't be taking place as planned.

"I was told by the acting town clerk it was because there wasn't the money for it," she said.

"The knock-on effect of postponing it has whitewashed the unveiling of the plaque.

"I owe it to William for this to be a proper occasion. I've been waiting seven years - now I don't know what is going on."

Acting town clerk at Bromyard and Winslow Town Council, Gary Swinford, said the town council is committed to granting the Freedom of Bromyard to the Rifles.

"The council had insufficient budget for the scale of event which was being planned for May so it was mutually agreed with the Rifles that the event would be postponed until the autumn," he said.

"The budgetary problem has now been fixed and the event will go ahead in the autumn, on a date still be agreed with the Rifles. I hope very much that in addition it will be possible to unveil a plaque to Rifleman William Aldridge on the same day as the Freedom event but there are a number of formal steps which need to be taken in order to make this happen and these do take time. I will do everything I can to make it happen."