AN Army veteran from Radcliffe, who has been battling for a war pension, could be awarded more than £100,000.

Mr David Pollard (46), of Church Street West, attended his sixth tribunal last week in his fight to claim a pension dating back 24 years.

The father-of-two served as a physical training instructor in the Army between 1970 and 1976.

He was discharged on medical grounds and accepted a one-off payment of around £1,000 instead of a pension.

But he later claimed he was in no fit state to make such a decision because he suffered brain damage after being shot in the face with a rubber bullet during a training exercise in Germany in 1972. He believes that it affected his temporal lobes and caused him to start having accidents, as well as affecting his ability to shoot straight.

"At the latest tribunal it was finally accepted that I was hit on the left side of my face. In the past they insisted it was the right side," said Mr Pollard.

"I can't believe it's taken them so many years to accept this. Now the papers will go to the doctors, who will decide the per centage of my disability.

"In order to qualify for the pension I need to have suffered 20 per cent disability."

Mr Pollard faces a five-week wait for the decision to be announced. But he is pleased to have at last passed the first stage.

"To tell you the truth, I am chuffed," he said. "I have had to be very patient and determined but I would advise anyone else in my position to stick to their guns. It is worth it."