A BOLTON soldier killed while fighting during the famous battle to secure Arnhem Bridge in 1944 made a promise to friends before he left for war.

Sadly it was one he could never keep - but it lives on in the memory of his brother-in-law, who still remembers him fondly.

Private Arthur Foster was among those killed during the Second World War battle in September 1944. In April 2003, workmen discovered his remains and he was buried this week in a Dutch cemetery close to the battlefield.

Arthur Shirt, whose sister Lily married Pte Foster on April 18, 1940 in Carlisle, said: "Arthur was a nice fellow. I remember him being relatively small, 5ft 8in or 5ft 7in, something like that.

"He wasn't around in Carlisle for long but just before he left for the war he promised me we would play football when he got back."

Pte Foster had met Lily in Carlisle when he was aged 22 and Lily was 17.

Mr Shirt, aged 84, from Carlisle, said: "My father wasn't very happy at Lily getting married. He thought she was too young."

Lily died in 1996, aged 73. She got married later in life to Harry Dunning but she never had children.