A WAR veteran who has never visited Huddersfield has given £200 to help pay for repairs to the wrecked memorial in a Birkby park.
Len Wright, 85, from Combe St Nicholas, Somerset, read in the national Press about the bronze Lone Soldier statue being pulled down from the war memorial in Norman Park last November and brass nameplates being stripped off.
Mr Wright, who was left disabled after being injured in the Second World War, was so disgusted he stuffed an envelope with £20 notes and sent it to Kirklees Council's Leisure Services Department.
He said: "I could not believe what I saw in the paper and I really wanted to do something to help.
"I spent six years in the Forces, so things like this really shock and disgust me.
"The thing that made this even worse was the destruction that had been done. Graffiti is bad enough, but this was much more.
"I am a member of the Royal British Legion, so I got in touch with the Huddersfield branch and they told me the full story.
"I immediately sent the £200. It was all I could do to help."
Head of leisure services Geoff Hirst said he was shocked but touched when the money arrived.
"This is a lot of money for anyone, especially a pensioner," he said.
"The response we have had from the public to this disgraceful crime has been incredible.
"People were absolutely outraged that anyone would attack a war memorial in this manner.
"After the coverage in the Press the nameplates were returned, but they were in a terrible state.
"But now, thankfully, we are in a position where we can reinstate the statue."
The Asda supermarket on Bradford Road has given £500 to help get the statue back to its former glory.
The Lone Soldier, which has cost more than £5,000 to repair, will be back in Norman Park on Wednesday, March 30.
On Sunday, April 3, a parade round the park at about 2.45pm will be followed by a short service and ceremonial unveiling of the repaired memorial.
