Metal detectors are 'last hope' of finding WW2 medals

Donald Nicholson lost his medals on his way to the unveiling of a Bomber Command memorial

A 93-year-old World War Two veteran has said a search with metal detectors is his "last hope" of finding his missing set of medals.

Donald Nicholson originally thought he lost the medals at a service station on the way to the unveiling of a Bomber Command memorial in Lincoln on Friday.

But Mr Nicholson, from Tyne and Wear, now believes the medals fell out of his pocket after he parked at the site.

Metal detectorists have been asked to join a search on Friday afternoon.

Breaking down in tears as he spoke, Mr Nicholson said he desperately wanted to get the medals back before Remembrance Sunday.

"I've taken the pride in wearing them on several occasions and the next occasion will be Remembrance Sunday and I'll not have them," he said.

Dropped bacon sandwich

He had been carrying them in his pocket when he lost them.

"I touched my chest to feel for the medals and they weren't there," he said.

"The one thing that is driving me round the bend is the fact that I had a bacon sandwich in my pocket and I dropped it where we were parked and that surely is the spot where I think that I may have lost them."

Donald Nicholson was attending the unveiling of a memorial spire and walls of remembrance at the International Bomber Command Centre

He said he would not have seen the medals on the ground because of the long grass, and would not have heard them fall either.

People searched part of the site last week, but the medals may have been trampled into the ground, making them difficult to find.

Mr Nicholson, from Houghton-le-Spring, said he was "devastated" to lose them, and said they were "priceless" to him despite not being worth much.

Metal detectorists have already volunteered to help after an appeal was posted on the International Bomber Command Centre page on Facebook.

"You can tell them a great big thank you from me personally," said Mr Nicholson.