First World War veteran Fred Lloyd today proudly showed off one of France's highest bravery awards, presented to him at the age of 104.

Fred is one of the last Great War veterans to receive the Legion d'Honneur.

More than 100 people gathered at Uckfield Civic Centre to see him awarded the medal by the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Phyllida Stewart-Roberts.

Mr Lloyd, who lives in a nursing home in Uckfield, took the day in his stride.

The teetotaller and former gardener was born in 1898, in the reign of Queen Victoria.

He joined the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1916 but soon found himself in the Royal Artillery taking horses to and from soldiers on the frontline in France.

He said: "I used to take the horses out and then bring back the injured ones for classification. Some, not many, went back to England, some went to the butchers and some went to French farmers who had lost their own horses.

"I had never ridden a horse before I went over there - we had to learn very quickly. You had to ride on one and lead two others."

On his return to England he turned to the quiet life as a head gardener, preferring to live peacefully with his memories and his family.

He took a job at Buckswood Grange, Uckfield, where he tended the gardens until his retirement.

In 1989 his wife, Alice, died but Mr Lloyd battled on independently until he went into the retirement home at the age of 101.

His son, also called Fred and aged 80, described his father as a very contented man, still with his wits about him.