A decorated D-Day veteran has been given a early Christmas present after he was reunited with his wife of nearly 70 years.

Eastern Daily Press: War Veteran Ted Bootle, has been awarded the Legion de Honnour medal from France. PHOTO: Nick ButcherWar Veteran Ted Bootle, has been awarded the Legion de Honnour medal from France. PHOTO: Nick Butcher (Image: ©archant2016)

For two months Ted Bootle, former president of the Stradbroke branch of the Royal British Legion, had been separated from his wife Joan after family circumstances saw them live 160 miles apart.

But now the 93-year-old Norwich and District Normandy Veterans Association member can see his wife after she moved to a Leicester care home.

Mr and Mrs Bootle had lived in Oulton Broad, where Mrs Bootle had been in a care home which her husband visited every day.

Then due to a family illness Mr Bootle had to move in with one of his sons, Alan, in Leicester two months ago.

But now Mrs Bootle, 90, has been relocated to a care home in Leicester and after an emotional reunion with her husband the couple are planning a special Christmas Day visit.

Mr Bootle, who had landed on Sword beach on D-Day, said: 'We are together again.'

His son, aged 66 and a former teacher, said: 'They had both sorely missed each other and there had been a sense of frustration at obviously not being able to see each other.'

The couple married in 1947 and have another son Ken, whose Oulton Broad home had been where his father lived.

After D-Day Mr Bootle was sent to Pegasus Bridge as a Royal Army Service Corps driver. He was awarded the Legion d'Honneur for his role in D-Day by the French government.

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