HERO war veterans have united in battle against a top British honour for Emperor Akihito of Japan.

And Tyldesley's Royal British Legion Service Committee has sent a protest letter to Downing Street objecting to plans to award him the Most Noble Order of the Garter - the premier order of knighthood in Great Britain - at a ceremony in London on May 26.

But ex-Japanese prisoner of war, Robert Taylor, 84, of Sale Lane, Tyldesley (pictured) has gone one step further.

He is so incensed he has returned his five medals, the General Service Medal, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and Pacific Star, to the War Office in disgust.

Mr Taylor, who served with the Loyal Regiment, from Palestine to China, was in captivity and suffered a broken jaw, cracked skull and battered legs, at the hands of his captors.

When he returned home he spent a year being treated for his injuries.

He said: "There's no way I will celebrate this award."

Wife, Phyllis, said: "I don't agree with him on this. It's bringing back memories and not doing him any good at all."

Secretary of the Tyldesley Services Committee, Mr John Robinson, said: "The memories of many servicemen and women and their families have been completely ignored in making this award and we should all protest.

"If the ceremony is on TV I shall turn my back. I will not watch for anything. In fact I won't even turn it on.

"Every member of the Royal British Legion throughout the country is livid and all are making a strong complaint.

"We do not have a club building in Tyldesley but we still represent 220 members and meet in the town monthly.

"You can't make a bigger stance than Mr Taylor has. He must be admired for his action."

War Office spokesman, Simon Thomas, said Mr Taylor's medals will be kept safe until either he or his next of kin asks for them to be returned.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.