A POLICE investigation is underway after a former Royal Marine from Poole was shot and killed in Iraq.

Brian Tilley, 47, died on May 14, when a gunman reportedly walked into the house in Baghdad where he was staying and opened fire.

His body has arrived back in Britain and an inquest will be held in Dorset.

The climbing enthusiast joined the Royal Marines when he was 17 and was thought to have served with the elite Special Boat Service, based in Hamworthy, until he left two years ago.

He is believed to have been in Iraq for the past 14 months working for an Egyptian company on a communications project after setting up his company Peak.

Mr Tilley, who had also worked as a bodyguard for David and Victoria Beckham, was due to return home on Wednesday, May 12, but is understood to have missed his flight and was waiting for another when he was killed.

His body arrived back in the UK on Friday and is currently with the Coroner.

A Home Office pathologist will carry out a post mortem examination in Dorchester on Monday and the coroner is currently liasing with Dorset Police and the authorities in Iraq to find out more about how Mr Tilley died.

Close friend and colleague John Nash said: "Brian's body has arrived back in the country and it has been passed over now to the coroner's office.

"They've got an investigation to pursue because it's now a UK police matter due to the nature of the injuries Brian died from."

Mr Nash said it was unlikely there would be a military element to the funeral, which is expected to take place on Friday.

He said: "That's the way Brian would have wanted it, although he obviously was a very proud military man."

Tributes have continued to pour in for Mr Tilley, who is said to have been a real-life Action Man who lived life to the full.

Franck Belliot, from France, was working in Nigeria last year when he met Mr Tilley, who was at the time a consultant for ExxonMobil security department in Eket, just south east of Port Harcourt.

Mr Belliot said: "I was shocked and speechless to learn the death of this excellent guy.

"He was so open and friendly and always had something interesting to say. A very fulfilling experience knowing him."