The fifth annual charity concert in memory of Alloa man Corporal Kevin Mulligan, who was sadly killed in action while serving in Afghanistan, will take place later in April.

Since 2009, when the father-to-be paratrooper was tragically killed by a roadside bomb with two others, friends, family and local people have come together to remember the gifted 25-year-old and raise funds for Help for Heroes. This year, the concert will be held on 24 April in Alloa Town Hall at 7.30pm.

The year-on-year successful event raised vital funds for the charity, who provide a UK-wide support network for the nation’s wounded soldiers. Every year, local bands and performers give up their time to get on stage free of charge at the concert.

One of the organisers, Joyce Pellicci, told the Advertiser: “Help for Heroes is such a special charity, which is close to people’s hearts, we decided to make this an annual event. We are hoping that this year will be as big a success as previous years.

“The Help for Heroes Charity Concert has been extremely successful over the past four years. The event has raised around £13,000 for [the charity].

“We feel very proud that the people of Clackmannanshire have supported us so tremendously. The band members/PA donate their time to us free off charge. Specially thanks must be given to Mike Munro, George Futter, Nae Danger and The Rising, as these guys have supported the event from year one.” Performers this year will be Mike Munro, The Holy Trinity, The Rising, Free Guinness, Alloa Pipe Band and James Brewster.

The evening will include an auction and a raffle, to which prizes were donated by local businesses and people.

Kevin, who was named champion recruit at the end of his training, excelled as a Para and belonged to the Special Forces Support Group, an elite unit working alongside the SAS and SBS special forces.

Kevin was driving the lead car of a convoy when he and his comrades were undertaking a routine patrol near Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province, before their Jackal armoured vehicle was hit by the blast of a 100kg improvised explosive device.

After an inquest in 2010, his family said: “We are devastated. Our lives will never be the same again. We miss him and will always love him.”