A war veteran who lost his medals has had them returned just in time for Remembrance Day.

Michael McGeouch, from Dartford, had faced attending this year’s Remembrance parade without decoration after he lost them in Asda Greenhithe more than a week ago.

Instead he had planned to wear the miniature versions of his Northern Ireland General Service Medal and his TA Territorial Efficiency Award, given alongside the regular-sized honours.

The 70-year-old had already shined them up for the occasion when he got a call from the police yesterday (November 9).

“They said, ‘have you been looking for some medals? Because we have some here with your name on’,” Michael said.

“I never expected them to be found. I am so pleased.”

The honours had been handed into Dartford Police Station.

Michael, who attends a Remembrance parade every year and has been to the Cenotaph war memorial in London twice, believes they must have fallen out of his breast pocket when it was hung over his arm.

He was walking across the Asda car park in Crossways Boulevard at the time to sell poppies at the supermarket.

After realising they were gone on November 2 he trawled the car park and searched his vehicle twice. He also put out an appeal through Kent Online.

Fighting back tears, he said: “I was devastated as soon as I realised.

“I wore them with great pride and it would mean the world to me for them to be returned.”

Michael, who is ex Royal Military Police and Royal Engineers, was presented with his awards after twice serving in Northern Ireland during the Troubles between 1972 and 1975.

This included time working as a tracker dog handler searching for bombs.

The veteran left the service in 1977 having spent two years training on how to work with dogs. He joined the TA in 1979 and was presented with his long service medal after 19 years.

He still sells poppies to raise money for the Royal British Legion.

“Once you’re bitten by the bug it never leaves you,” he said.

Ex-light infantry Darren Riley who runs the Asda poppy appeal had inquired about getting replica honours made for his comrade and had hoped to present them to him.

“We are so delighted he has his own ones back,” he said.