Former soldier's new life for Christmas

Paul Brown, 58, who protected Princess Anne at Sandhurst from 1975 to 1977, said he would have killed himself but for charities and friends who have given him a home and fresh start.

The ex-soldier, who has changed his surname for security reasons, suffers from post traumatic stress disorder after witnessing the horrors of combat in places such as Northern Ireland.

His life gradually fell apart until he hit rock bottom in May, trawling the streets looking for old friends who would put him up.

Luckily he came across charity worker Sue Coughlin's brother Brian - an old childhood friend - and since then the whole community has rallied round to transform his life.

Paul, who was born in Darwen, has now been housed in a Twin Valley flat in the town and it has been supplied with a bed and carpets by the Royal British Legion.

He has been given tables and chairs by Darwen Churches Together Partnership, and is on the waiting list for treatment at a special home run by the national ex-services mental welfare society Combat Stress.

He said: "If it hadn't have been for the British Legion, Combat Stress, and the wonderful friends I have found, then I wouldn't be here now.

"My next step was to go to an off licence, buy a big bottle of whiskey, drink it all and plunge into the lake at Sunnyhurst Woods.

"I had had enough, I didn't want to go on, but I've got a chink of light now."

He said he was first affected with post traumatic stress disorder in 1993. But he said that it passed off in a few weeks and he spent a number of years as a long distance lorry driver before the disorder returned in May this year.

He said: "I was living in Portugal, drifting about, living off my savings when it struck me again.

"I arrived back with just my suitcase and spent weeks staying at friends' houses. I didn't even own a teaspoon."

He added: "I'm remembering things from 35 years ago.

"It's like being hit by a steam train - I started shaking in May and haven't stopped since."

Paul served in the Tank Regiment with the Royal Armoured Corps in the Middle East, Germany, Canada, Northern Ireland and with the UN in Cyprus before leaving the army in 1981, aged 32.

Despite his enjoyment of time in the army, he says he will never be able to forget the horrific sights he has seen.

He added: "I don't want to close my eyes at night because I'm afraid of what I might see."

Paul is currently living on a war pension of £23 a week and is keen for people in the same situation as him not to give up.

He said: "The British Legion have been saints and there is little known about what they do.

"They get no support off the government, neither do Combat Stress.

"Combat Stress are still dealing with people from the last world war and now they're having to deal with all the thousands coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Twin Valley have been excellent too."

Long-term divorcee Paul said that he will not be celebrating Christmas this year and despite having two sons and grandchildren, he will not be seeing them.

He said: "They've got their own life and I don't want to be a nuisance."

Sue Coughlin, who works for Darwen Churches Together Partnership, said: "I've known Paul since I was a child and all the time he was in the army and with Princess Anne.

"More people need to know what the British Legion do. They don't just sell poppies.

"This is a really heart-warming story among all the bad news."

Kevin Ruth, chief executive of Twin Valley Homes, said: "We're very pleased to help and hope Paul enjoys his first Christmas in his new home."