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An 89-year-old D-Day veteran who was reported missing from his care home has been found - amid the 70th anniversary commemorations on the sands of Normandy.
Sussex police received a call from a nursing home in Hove at around 7.15pm on Thursday to say that the pensioner had gone out at 10.30am that morning but had not been seen since.
The man, who is yet to be named, had gone out wearing a grey rain coat with a jacket bearing his war medals underneath.
Following a fruitless search on Thursday, the nursing home received a call from a younger veteran at about 10.30pm to say that he had met the missing pensioner on a coach on the way to France and that they were safe and well in a hotel in Ouistreham, France.
Officers said they have spoken to the veteran, who is fine, and that his friends are going to ensure he gets back to Hove safely over the next couple of days.
Show all 41 1 /41In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary British World War II veteran Frederick Glover stands as soldiers parachute down during a D-Day commemoration paratroopers launch event in Ranville, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary D-Day veterans (L-R) Wally Beale (90), Doug Lakey (94), Bernie Howell (89), Bob Conway (88), George French (88), Gordon Smith (90), and Albert Williams (96), from the Royal Wootton Bassett Normandy Veterans Association share a joke during a group photograph on sword Beach after the Royal Artillery Commemoration Parade and service in Hermanville, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary French Prime minister Manuel Valls (L), British Prime Minister David Cameron (C) and his wife Samantha Cameron (R) at the D-Day commemoration ceremony at the Cathedral in Bayeux, Normandy
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Prince Charles reacts as he watches teams of French, US, Canadian and British paratroopers jumping from aeroplanes during a D-Day commemoration in Ranville, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary D-Day veteran Bill Price (99) who celebrates his 100th birthday on 24 July stands on Gold Beach for well wishers after the last ever flag raising ceremony by the Surrey Normandy Veterans Association in Arromanches Les Bains, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Veteran Frederick Carrier (89) who served in the 1st Engineer Special Brigade of the U.S. Army and landed at Utah Beach on D-Day, prays for the 171 men of his unit who died at a monument to them at Utah Beach, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary D-Day veteran Jack Hamlin (93) who served in Rescue Flotilla Number One of the U.S. Coast Guard, took part in the invasion landing at Omaha Beach and is from Springfield, Missouri, attends the U.S. D-Day Ceremony at Utah Beach, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary A D-Day re-enactment enthusiast wears the American flag at a re-enactment camp near Utah Beach in Sainte Marie du Mont, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary British World War II veteran Jock Hutton (89), poses following his landing after he and teams of French, US, Canadian and British paratroopers jumped from aeroplanes during a D-Day commemoration in Ranville, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary The Red Arrows display team perform over Southsea Common at the end of a commemoration service of the D-Day landings in Portsmouth, England
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Queen Elizabeth II (L) and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (3L) are welcomed by French President Francois Hollande (2L) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Laurent Fabius (R) at the Elysee Presidential Palace as part of a bilateral meeting during an Official visit in Paris ahead of the 70th Anniversary Of The D-Day in Paris, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary The RAF's Red Arrows perform over Southsea Common in Hampshire, to mark the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary A French man dressed in vintage military clothing drives an old American military jeep on the beachside in Arromanches-les-Bains, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Czech citizens Gallomichal Seznam and Zdznek Barchaler, dressed in old vintage military uniforms, walk on the beach in Arromanches-les-Bains, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary British Marines and their Dutch counterparts demonstrate a beach assault near Southsea Common in Hampshire to mark the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary WW2 veteran Fred Holborn, from the Fleet Air Arm, salutes as he looks at British Legion Union flags carrying thank you messages planted in the sand on Gold beach near Asnelles, France. 20,000 paper flags are being planted. Each one carries a personal message of Remembrance submitted by Royal British Legion supporters
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary A paratrooper lands on Sword Beach near international flags during a D-Day celebration rehearsal in Ouistreham, on the Normandy coast
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Helen Patton, granddaughter of General Patton, is parachuted during a US-German D-Day commemoration ceremony in honour of airborne soldiers in Picauville, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary French 1st RCP paratrooper carrying US flag is seen over Sword beach in Ouistreham, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary A Spitfire (R) and an "Eurfighter" both painted with invasion stripes fly over Sword beach in Ouistreham, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Gare du Nord during an Official visit in Paris ahead of the 70th Anniversary Of The D-Day in Paris, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary The Prince of Wales meets veterans near Pegasus Bridge during D-Day Commemorations in Ranville, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall meets veterans near Pegasus Bridge (Also known as the Benouville Bridge - The taking of the Bridge was an important strategic victory) during D-Day Commemorations in Ranville, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary A US WWII veteran stands in front of US flags during a US-German D-Day commemoration ceremony in honour of airborne soldiers in Picauville, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary US veteran Edward Oleksak looks on during a US-German D-Day commemoration ceremony in honour of airborne soldiers in Picauville, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary World War II Allied members Canada's, United States', France's, and United Kingdom's flag hanging in Ouistreham, western France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary British and Canadian flags laid at a military cemetery in Ranville, northwestern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary A British soldier pays his respects as he visits a military cemetery in Ranville, northwestern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary A visitor examines a gravestone at the German Cemetery where approximately 21,000 German World War II soldiers are buried at La Cambe, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Normany veteran 90-year-old Geoff Pattinson sits at his home in London, England. On D-Day he set out in one of three gliders that were meant to crash land at the Merville battery and the troops were tasked with taking out the long range guns. However during the flight to France the tow rope snapped and the glider was forced to land in England. He flew again later that day and was a few weeks later was wounded in Normandy by a German machine gun. Asked what his most vivid memory of D-Day was he replied: 'Most of us thought we had landed in France. When we got out though, low and behold we were still in England and that was the anti-climax of my life. I couldn't believe we had missed our target and I couldn't believe we had landed in England'
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Normandy veteran 92-year-old Vera Hay stands outside the Grange Hotel in Grange over Sands in Cumbria, England. Vera, who was in the Queen Alexandras Royal Army Nursing Corps one of the first nurses to land at Normandy shortly after D-Day. Vera, who was a Junior Sister, then travelled 10 miles to the Chateau de Beaussy and took care of up to 200 injured soldiers a day. Asked what her most vivid memory of D-Day was she replied: 'The need of the casualties both our own troops and the German prisoners of war. They all were patients to us. They needed rehydration, rest, morphine to keep the comfortable and we were using the new penicillin'
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary British World War II veteran Harry Humphreys (92) from the 4th Royal Dragoon Guard, reacts after his visit at Bayeux's war cemetery, while an old allied military vehicle passes by, in northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Lewis Trinder formerly of the Royal Navy poses for photographs as he walks through Arromanches in Normandy, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Soldiers travelling on a vintage jeep cross Pegasus Bridge (also known as the Benouville Bridge) during D-Day Commemoration in Ranville, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Pipers march past Cafe Gondree, the Pegasus Bridge Cafe, the first house in France to be liberated during the last hour of 5 June 1944, during D-Day Commemorations in Ranville, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary British soldiers stand next to their weapons placed on the ground, in front of Bayeux's war cemetery, northern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Italian and British military enthusiasts watch from Utah beach as Dakota aircraft flypast near Saint Marie du Mont, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary World War II veteran Charles Alford of the 6th Armor Division, from Waco, Texas, climbs the stairs with his son David on Omaha Beach where he landed as part of the invasion of Normandy in Vierville-Sur-Mer, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary British World War II veteran reacts as he visits the war cemetery of Ranville, northwestern France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Paul Clifford (70) from Boston stands after placing flowers on the grave of Walter J. Gunther Jr, the uncle of his best friend, in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, in Colleville sur Mer, France
In pictures: D-Day 70th anniversary D-Day anniversary Harry Grew (92) who was in the Royal Navy, gets fussed by the Candy Girls, (R) Elkie Jeffery (L) Freyja Sculpher and Debbie Watt on board the Brittany cross channel ferry Normandie, travelliing from Portsmouth to Caen in Portsmouth, England
Although it was reported that staff had told the veteran he could not attend the 70th anniversary of the landings that changed the course of the Second World War, both the care home and Sussex Police denied this.
The home was confirmed by a spokesman as The Pines care home, Furze Hill, in Hove.
He said it is "definitely not the case" that the veteran was banned from attending D-Day commemorations.
A Sussex Police spokesman also denied reports that the home prevented the veteran attending the event.
The home is expected to release a statement.
The Queen, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, François Hollande and many other leaders are also in attendance to pay tribute to the 200,000 British, American and Canadian men – and the handful of women – who took part.
This year’s commemorations are particularly poignant as it will likely be the final time the remaining veterans, who are now in their 80s and 90s, gather together to recall the day that “changed the world”.
Additional reporting by Press Association
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