WAR veterans today called on the public to help them track down a specially-made banner which commemorates the lives of Burnley heroes.

As Europe came together to mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day, the Royal British Legion was appealing to the people of East Lancashire for information about where its missing flag could be.

The standard of the Burnley Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association (NVA) went missing after the group disbanded eight years ago because of dwindling numbers.

Eric Midgley, Honorary Poppy Organiser for the Burnley Branch of the Legion said concerns about the location of the flag were raised in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of D-Day.

He said when the standard was commissioned it was consecrated in church and the charity wants to hang it in a Burnley church.

"The association used to have a strong following but over the years the numbers have fallen because the members died.

"We would love to get it back and put it in its rightful pace of laying it up in a church.

"It is a consecrated standard and we would do the honourable thing by laying the standard up in a church where it belongs."

The banner was paraded at the military funerals of the NVA members. It is royal blue and reads NVA with Burnley Branch underneath and measures approximately 3ft by 5ft.

Mr Midgley, 72, who served in the Royal Navy and was in the Merchant Navy in Vietnam added: "We are appealing for its whereabouts.

"It is just probably lying around somewhere. The widow of a veteran or of a standard bearer could very well have it."

"If anybody has any knowledge of its whereabouts we urge them to get in touch."

Anyone with any information about the standard should ring Mr Midgley on 01282 453631 or 07713432802.