A SECOND World War veteran is advertising in the lonely hearts section of The Press - at the age of 88.

Harry Sellers, of The Mount, York, said today he did not feel or look his age - and that was why he was looking for a special woman to share his life with.

Mr Sellers leads an active life, often cycling from his home to the village of Cawood, near Selby, and back - all in a day's work.

He said: "I am fed-up of being on my own.

"I would like to share my time with somebody else. I don't look or feel 88, I wouldn't have advertised otherwise.

"I didn't want to burden anyone. I just want to care for somebody."

Mr Sellers said this was the first time he had put an advert into the Two's Company section of The Press - or any other newspaper.

He said: "I'm taking it in my stride. I hope I meet somebody nice. I can adapt to whoever they are.

"It's more about having the company than meeting someone who's the same as me."

He said he had received interest from several women in Leeds, but that was too far away.

He said another woman had responded to his advert giving her description, but had not given any contact details.

In 2005, Mr Sellers was presented with the Chevalier of the Legion D'Honor in 2005 - the French equivalent of an OBE - for playing a crucial role in the D-Day landings in 1944. He was a corporal in the 7th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, and helped to defend the town of Ranville from the advancing Nazis.

He said: "It was a bit rough all the way through.

"We had to overcome being scared, otherwise we wouldn't have survived. I was thinking about getting home.

"I never thought I would get anything at all - it was a complete surprise. I'm proud for what I did."