OVER 100 people, including Chelsea Pensioners, attended the funeral in Harlow of a World War Two D-Day veteran.

Cyril Banks, from Bishop’s Stortford, died aged 97 on May 6th

He enlisted in the Royal Navy aged 18 in 1943 and was deployed on mine-sweeping operations off “Gold Beach” for the Normandy landings in 1944.

Also a prolific fundraiser, his funeral took place at Parndon Wood Road Crematorium on Monday.

After the war he served in South East Asia, where he assisted in the repatriation of Australian prisoner of wars.

Mr Banks made the headlines when in 2016, the veteran, then aged 91, had his £9,000 life savings stolen from him by fraudsters who pretended to be from the Met Police.

An online fundraising page set up following the scam raised £18,000 – half of which he gave away to charity.

He also raised £16,000 for The Not Forgotten Association, which helps serving and ex-service men and women, and once abseiled down Harlow’s water tower to help raise additional funds.