THE family of a 16-year-old soldier who died in World War Two was finally given his war medals during an emotional ceremony.

Jack Banks's mother, Fanny, was so devastated at his death that she never wanted them.

But after a quest for recognition by the Normandy Veterans Association, they were finally presented to surviving relatives in his home town of Darwen.

Jack was one of the youngest soldiers to lose his life after lying and saying he was 17.

He is buried in the Normandy field where he died after being shot on his way back from taking out a gun emplacement in July 1944.

The event was doubly emotional as it was the 60th and final service by the 95th branch of the Normandy Veterans to mark the Allied invasion.

Because of the age of many of the veterans, they are not expected to hold another in five years time.

And, in light of this, the message on Saturday was that the sacrifices of those like Private Banks should never be forgotten.

Several hundred people attended, including representatives of Private Banks's regiment, the Durham Light Infantry, current pupils of his school, Darwen's Holy Trinity primary, and civic dignitaries.

The sun was shining on the beautiful setting of Bold Venture Park as 93-year-old Canon Gervase W Markham, who laid Private Banks to rest in Normandy all those years ago, led the service.

Wreaths were laid at the park's war memorial and the Last Post was sounded, before the three medals were presented to Private Banks's brother and sister, George, 71, of Stansfield Street, Darwen, and Jean, 68, of Lytham.

Jean said: "It was wonderful - much more than we expected. We are not sure what to do with the medals yet. We are going to let everyone in the family see them and then they may go to a museum.

"I would like to thank Terry Burton for organising the service, we don't know how he managed to get it all together."

Mr Burton, chairman of the 95th branch, became interested in Private Banks after he kept hearing from veterans about the 16-year-old boy who had lied about his age to enrol.

With help from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, he traced Jean and George.