WHEN the gates of the prisoner of war camp where Alfred Parker had been held and virtually starved for a year were thrown open, he walked out and kept going for three months on foot until he reached home.

More than 70 years after his World War Two service, veteran Alfred - known as Alf - received the highest French medal, the Legion d'Honneur, for his bravery and courage.

His efforts, alongside those of 95-year-old Eileen Mason, were celebrated with a wartime exhibition and VE Day tea party at Alexandra Care Home in Newton-le-Willows, where they both now live.

Alf, 93, who spent 12 months as a POW in Germany during the war, was awarded the Legion d'Honneur this spring for his courage on Normandy beach in 1944.

Eileen, who has eight great-grandchildren, served as a secretary for the British Army at Alton Towers and left after the war as a Lance Corporal.

Cathy Worsley, activity co-ordinator at Alexandra Care Home, said: "We wanted to thank Alfred and Eileen for their contribution to the war, by having a world war exhibition and a VE style tea.

"We wanted to show our appreciation to these two residents - there are so many people in the news for nothing, but these guys are the silent heroes."

Cathy said Alf, who has a 50-year-old son Richard, was captured three days after landing in Normandy.

She said: "He was at Stalag 4B prison camp for around a year, he stayed there and was starved. They made him work in a sugar factory. He started working one day and the gates were opened - all the guards had gone because the Russians had liberated the camp.

"Alf had to make his own way back to England. It took him three months to walk."

She said within days of returning, Alf was sent to Palestine where he worked in counter-terrorism, guarding a railway.

Later on, back in the UK, he worked as a fireman, rebuilding bombed houses and making them safe.

Eileen, who has two daughters, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, worked as a secretary after leaving school.

Cathy said: "She joined the Army in 1941 and was stationed at Alton Towers working for a Colonel Saddler.

"At one point, she was nearly sent to serve in Cyprus."

Cathy added: "Both Alf and Eileen loved the tea party, and their families were really pleased with what we did for them - they all enjoyed the exhibition."