Stolen Falklands War medals returned after 15 years

A Falklands War veteran has had his war medals returned to him by police 15 years after they were stolen.

Anthony Paterson was on holiday in 2005 when the items, including the South Atlantic Medal, were stolen during a burglary at his South Shields home.

Northumbria Police got the medals back after his wife Lorraine saw them for sale on a London-based website.

Mr Paterson, 57, who served in the Royal Navy for 24 years, said he had "lost hope" of ever getting them back.

He said he nearly got them in 2010 when a friend saw them at a pawnbroker's store in Guisborough, but when he went to the shop they had been just been sold to a private collector and it was "impossible to trace them".

Mr Paterson said he was devastated when his South Atlantic Medal, awarded to servicemen and women who served during the Falklands War, and his 2002 Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal were stolen.

"I was so upset when they were stolen, I was absolutely fuming," he said.'

"Over the years, I lost hope that I'd ever get them back - so this was an incredible surprise and I'm really grateful to the police who were able to bring them home to me."

A few months ago Mrs Paterson searched online for "Falklands medals for sale" and found the medals complete with a biography of her husband's service history on a website, and contacted police.

Det Sgt Chris Raper-Smith said: "So often with these types of cases, the medals exchange hands so quickly and it's very difficult to trace their whereabouts.

"It was an absolute pleasure to be able to visit Anthony and now his well-earned medals are back where they belong."

Mr Paterson, who was born in Jarrow and now lives in Pelaw in Gateshead, joined the navy when he was 16 and served on HMS Brilliant during the 1982 Falklands conflict.

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