Two Royal Marines who died in gun battles against the Taliban have been named by the Ministry of Defence.

Sergeant Steven Darbyshire, 35, from 40 Commando, was killed in a firefight on Wednesday. He was the last of four marines from the same battalion to be fatally injured in as many days.

Lance Corporal Michael Taylor, 30, was killed on Tuesday in the Sangin district of Helmand Province.

Their deaths follow those of Marines Paul Warren and Richard Hollington, who became the 300th British serviceman to die since the conflict began. He lost his fight for life on Sunday - eight days after he was critically wounded in a blast.

Sergeant Darbyshire's family said in a statement: "Being a Royal Marine was Steven's life and growing up it was all he wanted to do.

"He was proud to wear the uniform and served his country as the consummate professional. He died doing the job he so loved."