A bit of rain wasn't going to stop one man's personal crusade to save the pound.

Ken Foster wins support from Rita Rudd, of Middleton, during his anti-euro protest

Pickering pensioner Ken Foster braved a soaking Monday morning to pound the streets of his home town in a one-man protest against the euro.

Complete with medals he won during his time in the Royal Navy, Ken, 74, marched up and down Pickering Market Place for hour after hour holding aloft a placard reading Save Our Pound.

And he was cheered on by townsfolk who had nothing but praise for the Second World War veteran and his cause.

Ken, a widower from Pike Road, said: "There's been a great reaction. Everyone is saying 'good on you, lad'. I have not met one person who has said I am doing the wrong thing.

"I had bacon and eggs before I came out to keep my strength up. The rain didn't put me off, I've got a raincoat. I'd made plans so I stuck to them."

Without exception, the people of Pickering were 100 per cent behind their local hero, many shaking him by the hand and patting him on the back. Some even asked if there was a petition they could sign.

John McArdle, who was shopping in the Market Place, said: "People like Ken fought in world wars for our freedom. Now Tony Blair wants to take it away from us. It's scandalous."

Maureen Williamson, who was collecting for the Salvation Army, said: "Ken is doing a brilliant job. I was against us joining the Common Market and I was against decimalisation. Having the euro will be worse."

Ken said: "I used to be a butcher in Pickering and in Old Malton, where I was born. When decimalisation came in, we had to change everything. If we get the euro it will be just the same, but this time we will actually lose the pound."

Liz Wilkinson, who works in Television House in the Market Place, said: "What Ken is doing is wonderful. Nobody here wants to lose the pound."

Jonathan Horne, from Welburn, near Castle Howard, backed Ken's stance, but thought it might be too late to save the pound.

"The idea of losing the pound is ridiculous. It's an insult to people who fought in the world wars.

"But the Government want us to join the single currency and, whether we have a referendum or not, we won't be able to do anything about it."

The success of his one-man march has inspired Ken to keep fighting the euro, with more protests in the pipeline.

He said: "Next time, I would like there to be some people with me. I've had a lot of support and others who fought in the war have shown interest. It would be great to have a lot of us marching up and down."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.