AN OTLEY trucker who started a fundraising campaign following the Berlin terrorist attack is to meet the Polish Ambassador.

David Duncan set up a gofundme page for the family of Lukasz Urban after the Polish driver was murdered, and his truck hijacked and driven at a Christmas market, on December 19.

The appeal has now raised more than £192,000 pounds, nearly one million Polish zloty, for Mr Urban's family.

Mr Duncan also attended Mr Urban's funeral service in Poland, which was attended by hundreds of mourners.

The Polish Ambassador, Arkady Rzegocki, will welcome the Otley driver at the Polish Embassy in London on Monday, January 9 to personally thank him for his support.

At the reception Mr Rzegocki is expected to praise Mr Duncan for his 'selfless initiative' and the solidarity it has demonstrated between the people of Britain and Poland.

On his gofundme page, For The Family of Lukasz Urban, meanwhile Mr Duncan has expressed his gratitude to the thousands of people who have backed the campaign.

And he posted this New Year message: "As we enter 2017 and Lukasz is home and in his final resting place, I thought this would be a good time for my final update.

"Just a few small things left to do, then the family will have full access to the fund.

"I intend to send Zuzanna - Lukasz' widow - the log in details when she becomes solo beneficiary so she can choose how to end or keep the campaign alive, and read all the messages and comments and the wonderful donations.

"Hopefully, it will also be a way of keeping Lukasz's memory alive."

In answer to the question of what prompted him to start the appeal, he added: "In all honesty, after reading the story like everybody else, and reading about Lukasz and the company he worked for and those he left behind, I felt such empathy - as though he was my workmate or a driver at a company I had worked for.

"I just did it without thinking. It literally took me just ten minutes.

"I never thought for one second it would take off like it did.

"I would like to thank again the 10,000-plus people who chose to donate and continue to do so."

Otley Town Council Chairman Councillor Ray Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield) said: "I'm delighted the Polish Ambassador is taking time to express thanks to Mr Duncan.

"As we all try to cope with continuing atrocities like the Berlin Christmas market attack Mr Duncan's altruism and generous spirit provides us with a good example to follow.

"I know that Otley will be proud of his efforts."

Thirty seven year old Mr Urban had arrived in Berlin on the morning of the attack, and was later found shot and stabbed to death on the passenger seat of his lorry.

The vehicle was driven that evening into the Christmas market at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, killing 12 people and leaving dozens injured.

*The man suspected of carrying out the atrocity, Tunisian Anis Amri who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, was shot dead by Italian police in Milan on December 23.

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