Tommy Trotter gets 3,000 cards after 100th birthday party cancelled

Tommy Trotter has been contacted by people from across the world

A D-Day veteran has been sent more than 3,000 cards after a party marking his 100th birthday had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Tommy Trotter, a former Northumberland Fusilier, was "over the moon" after seeing the cards laid out at the Don War Memorial Bar in Thornaby, Teesside.

Among the messages was a letter from the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Mr Trotter is in a support bubble with landlady Julie Cooper, who helps look after him.

The veteran, who holds the Legion D'Honneur, was delighted with the cards from as far afield as Africa, China and New Zealand, and even had a celebratory dance.

He said: "I've never had nowt like this before, it's lovely."

During World War Two, he joined the D-Day landings at Normandy and helped prepare airstrips for the Allied forces.

He met his late wife in Germany during the war and brought her back to the UK.

A mural of Mr Trotter as a teenager adorns a wall of the bar

The bar has a military memorabilia theme and looks after veterans.

Mrs Cooper said: "The cards have come from all over the world. We got the message out via Facebook, then regiments shared them and it went far and wide.

"We should never forget because they gave their all for us. There's not many Tommy's age left, I think we should respect that and remember what they did.

"We love him. He's part of the family and he has been through lockdown with me since day one."

Supporters of Tommy Club, which raises funds for military veterans, gave him a life-size engraved soldier figure made by ex-servicemen working at the Royal British Legion Industries factory.