A "FITTING memorial" to fallen hero Private Paul Lowe has been unveiled in his home village of Kelty.

A stunning mural of the Black Watch soldier, who died while serving his country in Iraq in 2004, was painted by Donna Forrester on the outside of the Kelty & Blairadam Ex-Servicemen's Club.

His family started a fundraising campaign last year, with a target of £6,000, to pay for the tribute and there will be an official unveiling on September 20 with the Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch performing in the village.

Duncan Graham, treasurer of the club and an ex-Black Watch soldier, added: "It is a great honour for the club to have such a tribute to Paul, and through him to all our brave men and women of the armed forces who gave their all, on the front of our building.

"Donna deserves all the plaudits for producing such a great work of art and fitting memorial."

He added: "Paul’s brothers successfully raised the funds to allow this magnificent tribute to finally go ahead.

"The Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch will be making an appearance at the club on September 20 to honour Paul and will also be playing in the main hall that day. His brother, Craig, is currently the drum major of the Black Watch."

Paul was just 19 when he was one of three soldiers killed while conducting a vehicle checkpoint in Iraq on November 4, 2004.

A suicide bomber drove his car at the men and exploded the device.

It killed Paul, Sergeant Stuart Gray, from Dunfermline; and Private Scott McArdle, from Glenrothes; along with an Iraqi interpreter. The explosion also wounded eight other soldiers.

His four brothers, Stuart, Craig, Shaun and Jordan, set up a Go Fund Me page to raise the money for a memorial.

They had lost their mum, Helen, to cancer seven years ago and Stuart told the Press last year: "It was her dream to have a memorial for Paul so we are doing this for her."

He got the idea after learning of plans for an artwork celebrating the life of Kelty boxer Connor Law and added: “We have tried many ways to have a public remembrance for Paul and all attempts have failed, so now, as a family, we are taking on the task ourselves.

“Connor’s mural gave me the idea to set up something for my brother.

“Paul, along with the other two soldiers, were local so it was a real shock for the community.

“I was about 15 at the time and my two little brothers were very young.

“Our brother, Craig, was also on the same tour with Paul but he had been sent home for R&R, so we could have lost him too.”

Their dad, who was also in the Black Watch, died when the brothers were young and Paul, Craig and Stuart all signed up to the army as soon as they left school.

Stuart, unfortunately, didn’t pass his medical due to health problems but Craig is still serving and is a drum major for the Black Watch.