A WAR veteran from Bolton has set off on a pilgrimage to the battlefield where he fought in in the Second World War.

Jim Ratcliffe is among a group of 20 former soldiers and their families from Bolton and District Normandy Veterans Association who began their journey to France on Friday.

The group is among those taking part in the £10 million Heroes Return scheme, launched by the National Lottery, to ensure every veteran who wanted to revisit the scene of wartime service was able to do so. Mr Ratcliffe, aged 82, who is the chairman of the local veterans association, has been a regular visitor to France since the end of the war.

He has travelled to the battlefields 16 times. He said: "Heroes Return is an excellent use of lottery money."

Many of the coach party took part in the 60th anniversary celebrations of D-Day last year.

That trip almost did not happen after the hotel they had booked three years earlier, burned down just three weeks before the anniversary. French families in Caen rallied round and put them up in their own homes.

The group visiting this year plans to thank them by throwing a party during their stay in Ouistreham.

As part of the tour, the Bolton veterans will be visiting the landing beaches of Sword, Juno and Gold as well as American, German, Canadian and British cemeteries.

The trip also includes a visit to the famous Pegasus Bridge as well as time for shopping and a stop at a Calvados distillery.

Time is now running out for any veteran who wants to make use of the scheme as the last date for submitting an application for a grant is March 31. For more information contact the Heroes Return hotline on 0845 410 2030.