A FUNERAL director's has decorated its display window to honour a late Second World War hero as Armistice Day approaches on Sunday.

Pennington Funeralcare on St Helens Road in Leigh has created a montage of articles and pictures illustrating the life of Tom Boardman, from Howe Bridge, who died in January at the age of 99.

Tom was held as a prisoner of war in Thailand by Japanese forces and contracted malaria 32 times with his weight dropping to six stone.

He was a sergeant with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and also worked on the "death railway" in Burma during the war.

He is remembered for creating a ukelele out of "old Red Cross boxes and used telegraph wires" so he could entertain his fellow captive servicemen and keep their spirits up.

That instrument now takes pride of place at the Imperial War Museum North in Trafford.

Michelle Hall from Pennington Funeralcare, who arranged Tom's funeral earlier this year, contacted his son Ron about creating the window display montage.

She said: "For the centenary of the First World War we decided to celebrate it by making a display which focused on a local hero, Tom Boardman.

"Since it has been in the window we have had lots of people stopping to look at it and taking photographs."  

Ron, who lives in Pennington, is impressed with the montage.

He added: "I think it is a marvellous tribute to my father as we approach Remembrance Sunday and it is a reminder of everyone who served their country.

"It has attracted a lot of attention."