ONE of the UK’s most decorated soldiers, who died trying to disarm a Taliban bomb in Afghanistan, was hailed as “the epitome of a hero” today after an inquest into his death.

Warrant Officer Gary O’Donnell, 40, of the Royal Logistic Corps, based at Vauxhall Barracks in Didcot, died as he tackled an explosive device near Musa Qala in Helmand Province in September last year.

His widow, friends and colleagues paid tribute to his outstanding bravery, which prompted the Ministry of Defence to award him a second George Medal posthumously in March.

Speaking after today's inquest hearing, which lasted less than three minutes, WO O’Donnell's widow, Toni, said it “meant the world” to hear of the respect and admiration her husband commanded.

She said: “He was very brave. I know how brave he was now. He kept it to himself. I think he put it to the back his mind how dangerous it was.

“He got on with it, he knew what he had to do and he knew how to do it. He was good at it and he loved it.

“It’s nice to know he was respected and everybody liked him.”

Fighting back tears, she paid tribute to a “loving and wonderful husband and a great father”, adding: “When he walked into the room you knew he was there.

“He played the guitar, he sang, he was a great family man.

“He was Gary. Nothing more you could say. He was wonderful.”

WO O’Donnell died after being called to a improvised explosive device, which he attempted to dismantle, as he had previously done with another earlier that day.

Minutes later, army colleagues metres from the device heard the explosion that killed him instantly.

Corporal Andrew Cobb of the Royal Signals, who worked closely with WO O’Donnell in Afghan-istan, said he had given colleagues a short briefing before heading towards the device.

“I was immensely proud to have worked with him,” he added.

Speaking after today's hearing, Captain Michael Webb of the Royal Logistics Corps, part of the same unit as WO O’Donnell, said: “Every time he was on the ground removing a device he without a doubt saved lives. He was the epitome of a hero.”

Capt Webb said WO O’Donnell’s two George Medals were “a spectacular acknowledgement of how brave he was”, adding: “To be awarded it twice is extraordinary.

“The last person to do that was in the early 1980s and he was in the same trade as Gary. It’s not common to get one, let alone two.”

Warwickshire coroner Sean McGovern recorded a verdict that WO O'Donnell died from blast wounds caused by an explosion while on active service as a member of the armed forces. Mr McGovern ordered that a flag outside the coroner’s court in Leamington Spa be flown at half mast until dusk yesterday as a mark of his respect, and that of the people of the town. He told Mrs O’Donnell: “He is a credit to you, and you are a credit to him.”

WO O’Donnell's first George Medal – awarded for extreme bravery - was for the courage he displayed while serving in Iraq in 2006.

He was also hailed a hero for defusing eight deadly booby-traps in a single day while in Afghanistan.

Mrs O’Donnell gave birth to their second child, Ben, just nine weeks before he died. The couple had one other child – Aiden, eight. WO O’Donnell also had two teenage children from another marriage.

Former servicemen will pay their respects to a West Oxfordshire soldier killed in action in Afghanistan as his body is returned to Britain tomorrow.

Twenty-one-year-old Jason Mackie, from Bampton, was killed when his vehicle was struck by an explosive device in the Basharan area of central Helmand last week.

The army cortege is expected to arrive at the John Radcliffe Hospital at about 2.15pm.