NORMANDY Veterans hoping to return to the scene of the D-Day landings have had to go out with collecting tins in York to help raise the necessary funds.

Members of the York branch of the Normandy Veterans Association (NVA) collected from shoppers at Asda’s store at Monks Cross, and were staggered by the generous response.

One member, Ken Smith, 84, from Wheldrake, who landed on Gold Beach on the evening of D-Day in June 1944, said: “I have never seen so many notes being handed over, and there were lots of pats on the back.”

He said because of a lack of Government support for the 65th anniversary of the landings, insufficient funds were available to help those unable to afford the cost of the trip, which worked out at about £400 per person.

“We, the York branch of the NVA, and many other branches are forced to make collections, cap in hand to endeavour to raise the money for those who require help.

“This will be the last time a group of veterans will be returning to the beaches, the youngest being 84 years and many around 90 years,” he said.

He said the Government had indicated it would support the 100th anniversary, but by this time the veterans would all have died.

Mr Smith said: “If the Normandy landings had failed, there wouldn’t have been another chance. We would have been under a Nazi government.”

Branch secretary Cyril Howarth said that 16 members of the York branch, accompanied by another 16 wives, carers or other relatives, were planning to go on the four-day trip in June.He said the collection at Monks Cross was both for the trip and for association funds generally. He could not reveal at this stage how much was raised, but said: “The people of York staggered us with their generosity. There is a growing interest in what we did. Children are coming up to ask what we did.”

He said the association had received £10,000 in funding from the lottery towards the trip, but it was not yet clear whether there was still a shortfall as the full itinerary was not yet decided.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said there was no question of the Government’s commitment to veterans, and it would provide support so that they could participate. “Veterans Minister Kevan Jones will meet with the Normandy Veterans Association later this week to discuss support for the celebrations.”