Former Coldstream Guard Harold Broom has finally received a medal after 50 years for his involvement in the Suez Canal campaign in Egypt.

The Forgotten War, which happened between 1952 and 1956, has only been recognised in recent years, even though more than 600 British men and women died in the conflict.

Mr Broom's wife Diane, 64, said: "The medal just came in the post out of the blue.

"Harold was so pleased. We had a bottle of champagne to celebrate."

Mr Broom, 71, of Cherry Tree Court, Calne, was posted to Egypt for two years in 1952 and he was lucky to come back to Britain alive.

He explained: "One night I went to the cinema. I was feeling a bit sick and I went outside. As I bent over to be sick a machine gun blasted above my head."

The war veteran had a second lucky escape when he walked across a minefield without realising it.

While in Egypt Mr Broom had to spend 14 days in the trenches guarding an ammunition depot. "It was rough. We lost half our squad, 17 came back and 17 died," he said.