Soldier reunited with missing medal after 13 years

Stan Bates (left) reuniting Mick France with his missing medal. Credit: PA

A British soldier has been reunited with the service medal he lost 13 years ago after it was found on sale in an Afghan market.

West Yorkshire Police Superintendent Stan Bates, who was working as a civilian adviser to the police in Kabul, bought the medal and used Facebook to track down its owner, Mick France.

Mr France, a former Lance Corporal with the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, said: "I'm so grateful and proud. It's absolutely fantastic to get it back. I probably last saw it in Berlin and can only assume that someone borrowed it to wear and never returned it."

The former soldier, who served between 1990 and 1999, added, "I've had to apologise to my mum - all my old kit is stored at her house and for years I've accused her of losing my medal."