A military inquiry is being carried out into the sudden death of a Bradford soldier at an Army barracks.

The body of father-of-two Robert Stead, 26, who was serving with The First Battalion, The Rifles, was found at Beachley Barracks, near Chepstow.

Gloucestershire Police were called to the barracks to initially investigate Rifleman Stead’s death.

A police spokesman said the cause was not being treated as suspicious and no-one else was being sought in connection with the tragedy.

“It has now been handed back to the military for investigations," he said.

An inquest has been opened by the Newport coroner to allow Rifleman Stead’s funeral to take place on Tuesday at Nab Wood Crematorium, Shipley.

A collection in his memory will go to the One Rifles Care for Casualties.

The inquest will be resumed when toxicology test results are completed, said the Gloucestershire coroner’s office.

Rifleman Stead leaves parents Brenda and Graham Stead, who live in Bradford, his wife Joleen and children Lee and Zoe, as well as other close family.

An Army spokesman said his family would be offered support.

The Rifles trace their history back to the Peninsular War and are specialist soldiers taking on vital roles from snipers to mortarmen, medics and combat engineers.

With five regular and two territorial army battalions The Rifles is the largest regiment in the British Army – created after the four regiments of the Light Division agreed to form it in November 2005.

Its motto is “swift and bold” as its soldiers march at 140 paces per minute, much faster than that of the rest of the Infantry who march at 120.

1 Rifles is the only Regular Army Unit in 160 (Wales) Brigade, until recently it was a part of 3 Commando Brigade.

The Battalion has worked extensively with the Royal Marines on operations in Afghanistan and its soldiers are often on operations and training worldwide from Kenya to Kosovo, Belize to Iraq.

Training during the Battalion’s time with the Commandos saw some of its riflemen complete amphibious, mountain and Arctic warfare training.

Last month it deployed an Infantry Training Team to Mali for six months as part of an EU Training Team to train the Malian Armed Forces. 1 Rifles last returned from a tour of Afghanistan in 2011.

The Battalion is based at Beachley Barracks.