THE mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan said she was “ecstatic” that a memorial bell will now toll at repatriation ceremonies for fallen troops.

Lee Mackie, whose son Jason died in Afghanistan in 2009, started a campaign this summer to install a bell in Carterton.

And despite only launching the fundraising campaign in September, campaigners reached their £18,000 target last weekend.

Mrs Mackie, who lives in Bampton, said: “I can’t tell you what this means. We only started collecting money in September and people have been incredible with their generosity.

“It felt awesome when we found out we had gone over the target; I was ecstatic. Now I hope we can get it up as soon as possible.”

Fallen soldiers have been repatriated to RAF Brize Norton since the beginning of September.

Earlier this month, the Oxford Mail’s parent company Gannett donated £9,000 to the campaign, which Oxfordshire British Legion chairman Mike Henderson called “overwhelming”.

He said: “I can’t even find the words of joy that I feel when I got the news. But there were tears in my eyes.”

The campaign also attracted famous support from comedian Stephen Fry on the social networking site Twitter.

And on Sunday, six soldiers marched from RAF Brize Norton to Headley Way in Headington – the route taken by each cortege – raising the final amount needed to reach the target.

Steve Radband, whose son Lance Corporal David Radband, 26, from the Parachute Regiment, took part, said: “It’s fantastic, everyone should be so proud of themselves.

“The support from the public was unbelievable, especially in Eynsham, where the market square was packed with people.

“People were stopping in their cars to donate money, it was fantastic.”

L Cpl Radband raised £1,700 with Royal Marines Chase Bray, Anton Rushmere, Alex Haydon, Sam O’Dowell and Chris Horton.

Wellwishers, including 11-year-old Alice Shuttleworth from Bampton, joined them for parts of the route.

The 644lb bell will cost about £18,000. It will be installed in a tower opposite the memorial garden in Norton Way, Carterton.

It will be made at London’s Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which cast Big Ben for the Houses of Parliament, and should be installed early next year.