A bodyguard feared perished in a plane crash in a remote mountain range in Afghanistan has now been officially declared dead.

Daniel Saville’s remains have been found by Afghan searchers and have been flown back to the UK.

An inquest into Mr Saville’s death is expected to be opened in Bradford next week.

And after an agonising wait his family have finally been able to start making plans for his funeral which will be held in Bingley.

Known as Jimmy to his friends, Wilsden-born Mr Saville was one of three Britons on the doomed Pamir Airways flight in which more than 40 people died on Monday, May 17.

The plane crashed during difficult weather conditions which went on to hamper search and rescue attempts.

Wreckage of the 60-year-old Soviet-made Antonov An-24, a medium-range twin-turbo prop civilian aircraft, was eventually located in the Hindu Kush range of Estalef and Goldara, west of Shakara.

Mr Saville’s family – which includes his sisters Rebecca Saville, of Clayton, and Emmaline Weatherhead, of Thornton, as well as uncle Steve Cochrane, of Bingley – have endured a desperate wait for news.

Police have now contacted Miss Saville to let her know that her brother has been formally identified as one of the victims of the tragedy.

In an internet message informing her brother’s friends of his death, Miss Saville states: “My brother Danny – Jimmy as you know him – was killed on 17th May.

“Police have informed us that the Afghans have recovered and identified him and we are hoping to have him home within the next week.

“The funeral will be in Bingley.”

Miss Saville has confirmed to the Telegraph & Argus that her brother’s remains have now been repatriated.

Next week’s inquest will be opened and adjourned pending further inquiries to allow his funeral to take place.

Mr Saville, a former Coldstream Guard, who used to live in Allerton, Bradford, was working for a private security firm which was providing protection for civilian workers in Afghanistan at the time of his death.

He had been thinking about leaving to set up his own business in Manchester, looking after celebrity footballers, said Geoffrey Bastion, an economist and writer, who had been under his protection.