Mr Don Hunter (86), of Halifax Road, is the last living survivor of a Lancaster Bomber crew shot down over North Eastern France 44 years ago.

The former wireless operator was unable to attend the May ceremony due to his wife's ill health and she sadly died the day after his daughter arrived back home.

Miss Shelley Hunter represented her father and collected his commemorative medal on a "very humbling" day. She said: "It is quite amazing the gratitude that is so openly displayed by the people of Alsace for ex-servicemen such as my father.

"They view all these airmen as 'heroes' and that is how they describe them when you speak to anyone, young or old. It was a very humbling experience and one that I shall never forget."

Find out more about this amazing story and pictures in today's Nelson Leader.

Miss Hunter added: "The whole experience was very moving indeed. We began by visiting the graves of the pilot, Harry Jones, and the mid-upper gunner, Idwal Williams, which are kept in immaculate condition by the people of the town of Ottrott.

"Harry Jones died in the aircraft and tragically Idwal Williams was strangled by his parachute. A third crew member, Fred Hapgood, survived the crash but was picked up by guards from the nearby concentration camp and he was hanged. His execution was mentioned in the Nuremberg trials and the officer responsible was himself executed for this act."

Mr Hunter has visited the area on a couple of occasions since and was introduced to Helene Wucher, a French Resistance member, who tried to save Sgt Hapgood on the night of the crash at the age of 17.

Mr Hunter, who was a sergeant at the time, said: "I've been over to Alsace a couple of times and they treat me like a war hero. I'm not a hero, but whenever I go they all come to see me and it's very difficult to talk about it."