WAR hero Michael Finan is polishing his medals ready for a trip to Buckingham Palace next week.

The veteran, from Corporation Street in Chorley, has been invited to a garden party by the 'Not Forgotten Association.'

The association is a veterans group devoted to the men and women who fought in the wars.

And the annual garden party is given the royal seal of approval by the Queen, with the celebration held in the palace grounds.

This year the commemorative party, on July 26, will be hosted by HRH Prince Michael of Kent -- who recently opened the National Football Museum in Preston.

Michael has spent the time since his retirement helping ex-servicemen who suffer from combat stress, and he is one of the few veterans to have served in the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the Army. He has a fine collection of medals to commemorate his service years, and was awarded the 1939/45 Star, the Atlantic Star with France and Germany Medal, the Africa Star, the Arctic Medal and the Front Line Britain Medal. And he is easy to spot in a procession now as he is one of the few ex-servicemen entitled to wear the White Beret on parade, the sign of the 'Russian Convoy Club', because of time served in the Navy, and on the ship HMS Hound -- a Fleet minesweeper.

During his time with the Army, Michael served in a host of exotic countries. From 1948 he saw action in Bombay, Calcutta, the Persian Gulf, Rangoon, Hong Kong and Singapore.

But the veteran is no stranger to royal circles. In 1995 he joined The Queen, the Prime Minister, and other veterans in St Paul's Cathedral, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. He said: "I feel very honoured to be invited to the Palace. The last time I went to something like this I met the Beverley Sisters, Sir John Mills and John Inman!"

NOT FORGOTTEN: pictured is veteran Michael Finan.