Veterans from Hillingdon facing the prospect of missing the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings are being offered the chance to travel there for free.

The leader of Hillingdon Council Councillor Ray Puddifoot was incensed when he heard the British Government was choosing to snub the occasion on June 6.

Despite world leaders including Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy and even German representatives vowing to make the trip, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his Government and the Royal Family are staying at home.

Veterans who approached the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for financial aid to travel to Normandy to honour their fallen colleagues were told it only supports events on their 25th, 50th, 60th and 100th anniversaries.

This would mean all the remaining veterans of the Second World War would be long deceased.

However, Mr Puddifoot has moved swiftly to announce the council will pay for any former member of the armed forces living in Hillingdon to attend the memorial service.

He said: "We have contacted the Normandy Veterans' Association (NVA) and the Royal British Legion to start establishing how many veterans live in the borough and how to contact them.

"We will pay for them to be at the ceremony on June 6 and even for a carer, too, if they are not able to travel alone.

"This is one debt we should never renege on. Gordon Brown and his Government were not satisfied with making us all financially bankrupt - now he wants to make us morally bankrupt too.

"These veterans were there when we needed them and the very least we can do is be there when they need us. If it was not for them, then politicians could not stand up and say whatever they want to say. They gave us freedom of speech."

The NVA is due to disband following this year's event because its remaining members are mostly too frail to support events.

Mr Puddifoot added: "This is probably the last opportunity these people will have to make this trip to the place they were 65 years ago. It will not cost much to send them there - but the rewards will be huge." [25a0] Anyone who is a veteran or knows of one living in the borough can write to the leader of Hillingdon Council, Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW.