A former estate agent, now 92, who took part in the Normandy landings, has finally received France’s highest decoration, the Legion d’Honneur.

Victor Williams was just 19 when he landed on a beach near Arromanches on D-Day – June 6, 1944.

Last week, 73 years later, he was presented with the Legion d’Honneur by MP (and shadow housing minister) John Healey, who also helped ensure he received the honour by chasing up government ministers.

Healey said: “It was a pleasure and privilege to meet Vic, and I’m glad I was able to help speed up the process.

“He and other British Normandy veterans fully deserve to receive this decoration.”

Mr Williams was a private in the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry for three years.

As well as being involved in the Normandy landings, he fought in Bayeux, Tillè, Caen and Saint-Lô, where he was wounded.

After his recovery he joined the military police and returned to his home town of Rotherham where he still lives – these days in a care home.

After the war, he went on to work for British Gas and in engineering before joining Bricknells estate agents in Rotherham. The firm, founded some 40 years ago, is still very much in business.