Over £20,000 has been raised for a 100 year old RAF pilot who had been burgled last week.
Former World War II veteran Len Parry, from Skipton, was hospitalised at Bradford Royal Infirmary to have a melanoma removed from his head.
While having to stay overnight following a fall, heartless burglars targeted his home, stealing almost £4000 in cash.
When he returned on 12 February, Parry opened the safe where his money was kept, only to discover that it had all been stolen. There was no sign of a break in as his property.
Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, Parry said: “it was a bit of a shock when I discovered the safe and money had been taken. It upsets me to think someone could do something like this”.
“I have got to get over this. It had been a bit of a shock at my age, but you have to get on with things, don’t you?”
Following the theft, a page had been launched on crowdfunding site ‘JustGiving’ by Lucy Leeson, the crime correspondent from Yorkshire Post.
At first hoping to raise £3000, the page started to gain national attention, with Good Morning Britain presenter, Piers Morgan, pledging to donate £1000 after retweeting Parry’s story.
Image: Twitter, @piersmorgan
After just two days, the page has managed to exceed their initial goal amount by over £15,000, with £21,000 being donated by the morning of 25 February.
Leeson has said that she is “overwhelmed” by the amount of support shown towards Mr Parry, and that it has “restored his faith in humanity”.
“It’s so heartwarming to see the country come together to support this incredible war veteran who served our country
“Reading all the messages on our donation page has made me feel really emotional and I would personally like to say thank you to every single person who has donated”.
The page has been filled with support for Mr Parry, with many donors thanking him for his service.
One donor commented: “I met Len at my mum’s funeral and he made a tremendous impression on me with his fascinating war tales. His indomitable spirit will not be broken by the scumbags who stole from him.”
To donate to Len Parry’s fundraising page, follow this link: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/len-parry-yp