WAR veterans are enlisting en-masse to a Lottery-funded scheme to return to the battlefields.

The Veterans Agency has taken 45,000 calls in the first six-months of a scheme which helps Second World War soldiers return to the arenas where they saw active service.

The Heroes Return scheme will continue until December 2005.

Any veterans wishing to revisit the places of special importance from their war service should contact the Veterans Agency on 0800 169 22 77 for information about how to apply for funding. The closing date for applications is March 31, 2005.