D-Day veteran celebrates 103rd birthday

D-Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history and marked the start of the campaign to liberate north-west Europe from Nazi occupation.

Laughlin said he threw pebbles at mines on the beach to set them off.

Born in Leeds, he served between 1941 and 1945. A plasterer by trade, he returned to the profession after leaving the Royal Marines before later settling in Accrington.

Two years ago, Laughlin, who described his time in Normandy in 1944 as “just a day’s work”, was presented with replacement medals after his originals were stolen.

Atkinson said a BBC News report about the theft led to Laughlin being reunited with his sister after the pair had lost contact.

“She has been to visit him a few times,” she told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“She is quite elderly herself and has her own health problems, but it is nice when she comes.”