A WAR veteran who received France's highest honour has died at the age of 94.

Len Couzens received the Legion d’honneur for his services to France during the Second World War's Normandy landings, and was presented with the medal at a service at the National Memorial Arboretum, in Burton-on-Trent, in June 2018.

Aged just 19, Mr Couzens, from Perth Avenue, off Kings Road, landed on the Normandy beach on June 6, 1944.

With thousands of other allied troops he spent weeks along the coast, playing his part in fighting the German forces.

His job was taking in landing craft and guarding the fleet against enemy boats and one-man submarines.

Speaking about his part in the invasion, he said: "It was a terrifying experience and the noise was deafening,

"We brought in soldiers. We kept filling the beach with soldiers and when we dropped them off we went back for more.”

The Legion d'honneur Medal is the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits, and was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Mr Couzens died suddenly on Sunday, but had planned to visit Normandy for the fifth and final time in June to take part in the 75th anniversary commemorations since D-Day.

His wife, Pat, 86, was married to him for 65 years and would have accompanied him to France.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: "He has had such an incredible last two years.

"The Legion d'honneur was such a huge honour for him.

"He was so proud to receive that medal.

"He was only 19 when he joined the Navy and after the war he didn't really talk about it.

"He was very modest about all the accolades he got."

Mrs Couzens has informed the trip's organisers - the Royal British Legion - that her husband will be unable to attend the trip.

She added: "It's really heartbreaking that he is going to miss the 75th anniversary because he was really looking forward to it.

"There was going to be a big commemoration and he wanted to go, but he had told me it would be his final time.

"In previous years, the French people were stopping him and shaking his hand to thank him.

"It's surreal because it was so many years ago, but all of these people were thanking him."

The couple, who had four sons and have seven grandchildren, met at the former telephone exchange building on Manchester Road

They were married in 1953 at St Clare's Church, in Fagley, and Mr Couzens also worked as a postal officer for the Royal Mail, based in Forster Square.