A BLACKBURN Royal British Legion member has been inundated with letters from across the globe after a Lancashire Evening Telegraph appeal to help find veterans eligible for a new commemorative badge.

Club secretary Des Owen said he was thrilled with the response the article generated and was stunned when letters from as far away as New Zealand and Canada came pouring in.

The appeal invited East Lancashire veterans from both World Wars to apply for a new Veteran's Badge, designed to be worn on the lapel of civilian clothing.

The badge was designed in association with veterans' organisations, including the British Royal Legion, and was launched in May by Minister for Veterans Ivor Caplin as part of the commemoration of the 60th anniversaries associated with the Second World War.

Lancashire Royal British Legion received a supply of the badges and was told to issue them to all those who were eligible.

After receiving a flurry of requests for application forms from East Lancashire, the word then spread across the UK and abroad and responses from further afield have since arrived.

Mr Owen, 68, of Higher Croft Road, Lower Darwen, said he was amazed to receive so many letters.

He said: "We have had such a great response from the article. I've received more than 500 responses from as far away as Spain, Germany, Canada and New Zealand.

"We've had so many responses, we've run out of badges and have to wait for them to make more.

"We had hundreds of responses from this region and it seems people have been spreading the word to their friends and colleagues outside East Lancashire and, in turn, they've told friends across the world. It has been absolutely marvellous."