A WAR veteran who was shot in the head and left for dead by the Japanese has written a book about his experiences.

Pensioner Tom Taylor, 78, who suffered horrendous injuries defending Burma during World War Two has written a book Through the Hole in My Head.

Tom visited Southlands High School, Chorley, to talk to year nine pupils about the book which has been bought by the school for its library.

It was during a critical stage of the war in 1945 that Tom and other soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the Border Regiment went to the Sat Pan Gon border following a Japanese attack.

Tom, of Leyland, said: "There were more than 50 men dead, many were my friends. I was leading a section of men and we had been ordered to advance.

"We were lined up in this trench and when we got to the top of the beach the bullets started coming and one went through my hat.

"They had to withdraw and when our own people came back to bury the dead they at first thought I'd had it.

Tom was unconscious for two months and was transferred to a hospital in southern India for further treatment before being flown back to the UK.

Copies of Tom's book are available from the Christian Book Shop, Fox Street, Preston, priced £8.95.