THE family of a Glasgow soldier has spoken of their "devastating" loss ahead of an inquest into his death.

Corporal Ryan Lovatt was just 25-years-old when he died after falling from a seventh-floor hotel balcony in Poland in August 2019.

The soldier, who served with 2 Close Support Battalion of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, had been deployed to participate in diplomatic services with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards as part of Operation Cabrit.

He died following his injuries.

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In a statement released via their legal team at Irwin Mitchell, Ryan’s family said: “We’re devastated by the loss of our son Ryan. We never would’ve expected for him to be hurt on a deployment like this.

“It took well over a year before we received any documentation from the Ministry of Defence surrounding his death.

"As a family, we have many questions surrounding the circumstances of Ryan’s death and hope that the inquest will provide us with answers.”

An inquest into his death will begin tomorrow at Oxfordshire Coroner's Court in Oxford.

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Stephanie Clark, the expert lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Ryan’s family, said:  “This is a difficult time for Ryan’s family in which they’re still processing the circumstances of his death.

"While it’s vital the most thorough investigation takes place, not knowing all of the reasons surrounding Ryan’s death has been incredibly difficult.

“We’re continuing to support Ryan’s family and are determined to provide them with the answers that they deserve."

READ MORE: Soldier dies falling from hotel balcony in Poland