Funeral held for Plymouth D-Day veteran

Colin Young, a D-Day veteran who died aged 98, was laid to rest in Plymstock

A World War Two veteran who was involved in the Normandy landings has been laid to rest in Plymouth.

The funeral of Colin Young, who was a member of the Royal Artillery, took place at St Mary and All Saints Church in Plymstock. He died aged 98 on 14 June.

Mr Young landed in Normandy in 1944 aged 18 about a week after the Allied invasion began.

He had hoped to make the trip back to Normandy for the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day on 6 June but was unable to due to ill health.

Mr Young was a a member of the Royal Artillery

The British Legion supported the funeral, which was attended by flag bearers, a bugler and a bagpiper.

Glen Bird, the veteran's son-in-law, said Mr Young was "desperate" to return to Normandy but was unable to "hold on any longer".

In an interview with the BBC ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Mr Young said he wanted to return to Normandy to say "cheerio".

"I lost a few mates… I will just go over there and say cheerio, I won't be able to go back again," he said.

'He loved Plymouth'

Mr Young's granddaughter Rose Thorpe, who is one of the veteran's four grandchildren, said her grandfather would be sorely missed.

"He loved Plymouth," she said.

"He was an amazing grandad to all of us, we had some laughs, he loved singing.

"He was just amazing."