FOR many years, West Somerset D-Day veteran Dennis Fawcett made an annual pilgrimage to the French town he helped liberate over 70 years ago.

But his advancing years prevented the 95-year-old from making the trip – so the former French mayor of the town of Lion-Sur-Mer decided to come to him instead!

Jean-Marc Gilles and his wife Lilianne travelled to Minehead and met Dennis in the town's Northfield Hotel.

They caught up on times past and present and presented Dennis with a photo album containing images from across the years.

Dennis was a troop sergeant major in 41 Commando of the Royal Marines and landed on Sword Beach on June 6, 1944.

Despite fierce German opposition, 41 Commando liberated the town of Lion-Sur-Mer and Dennis subsequently received the MBE for services to the Royal Marines.

Together with fellow veterans he made yearly pilgrimages to the village where they made many friends.

Monsieur Gilles, who was mayor from 1989 to 2014, was so grateful to the marines that he renamed the square opposite the town hall in Lion-Sur-Mer to Place du 41 Royal Marines Commando and commissioned a monument to the regiment.

Local civic dignitaries, including West Somerset Council chairman Cllr Stuart Dowding, were also invited to the reunion at the Northfield Hotel.

Dennis is originally from Middlesborough but moved to Minehead in 2001, having previously lived in both Williton and Roadwater.