A CUP-winning footballer has finally been presented with the medal he never got 74 years ago.

Burnley pensioner John Zelly was part of the winning Abel Street School team that won the Keighley Cup final in 1946 in the first match to be played at Burnley FC's Turf Moor after the end of the Second World War.

Each player in the victorious team was due to collect individual medals but didn't happen because of a post-conflict metal shortage.

Although the 1946 winners missed out their counterparts in later years did get medals.

Last week 88-year-old Mr Zelly finally got the medal he won when a 14-year-old when his team took on Towneley High School and beat them 2-1.

The Abel Street school inside-left said "When we were presented with the cup we were also supposed to receive individual medals but that didn't happen that year.

"I have often thought of that missing medal and it means so much to me to get it after all these years, for me to be able to hold it and eventually pass it on to my son to whom I know it would mean the world."

Mr Zelly was presented with the medal at his Settle Street home by then Mayor of Burnley Cllr Anne Kelly and council leader Cllr Charlie Briggs who had teamed up to make John's dream of a winner's medal come true.

The victory was the first time Abel Street had won the final since the cup's inaugural competition in 1922.

After her last official duty Cllr Kelly said: "It all started when John sent me a letter explaining what had happened

"I had no idea where to start looking for the medal but I knew Charlie had contacts with the Lancashire football league. He got in touch with them and it was all sorted.

"I was very pleased to be able to present the medal to John in my last engagement as Mayor.

"He was thrilled. He proudly pinned it on himself immediately and it's set to become a family heirloom. The winner's medal was 74 years in coming but John richly deserved it and it was a really lovely moment."