Kirkby street to be named in honour of town soldier who died in Afghanistan

An Ashfield street will be named after a Kirkby soldier who died in Afghanistan.

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

Rfn 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, Kirkby, and his family paid tribute to “our son, best mate, our hero”.

Now, following a proposal from Conservative councillors, Ashfield Council has confirmed a new street will be named in his memory off Central Avenue – directly opposite the cemetery he is buried in.

The authority says it has liaised with Rfn 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 Coun Chris Baron and Coun Phil Rostance, both Conservatives, also called for Lance Corporal Paul Sandford, from Hucknall, to receive the same honour.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, council leader, said: “I have been speaking to the family of Rfn Sheldon.

“I’m pleased to say they are delighted to accept a street we are building on the end of Central Avenue, Kingsway, 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 said L/Cpl Sandford will likely be honoured in the same way “as soon as we’ve got similar sites or something appropriate to name”.