Lotto Snub Outrages Falklands Heroes

Falklands heroes are outraged by a snub from lottery bosses for cash to build a refuge.

Falklands veteran Simon Weston, who suffered horrific burns during a bombing attack on the Sir Galahad in the 1982 conflict, said veterans had been let down.

The Falklands Veterans' Foundation appealed for £800,000 Lottery cash to build a refuge on the South Atlantic islands for thousands of former colleagues to confront their demons.

But bosses at the Big Lottery Fund refused to give the Gosport-based charity a single penny.

As honorary chairman of the foundation, Mr Weston, 44, said: "They don't fully understand the importance of this site to help veterans overcome the depth of their post traumatic stress disorder."

Foundation chief executive and Falklands veteran, Derek 'Smokey' Cole, who led the appeal bid, said: "I thought they might offer us half if we raise the other half but they didn't even do that."