A WAR veteran has been left overawed by the generosity of a Burnley community – and a modest benefactor – who raised thousands after he fell victim to a callous thief.

Former soldier Kenneth Dawson, 89, was left distraught after close pal Paul Youngs stole £1,800 from his bank account while helping him with his shopping.

But charity champions across the Stoops Estate and Rosegrove have rallied around to restore the great-great grandfather’s faith.

And a reader of the Lancashire Telegraph website was so touched by Mr Dawson’s plight that he posted a cheque for £2,000 to brighten up the pensioner’s Christmas.

Alan McNee was visiting his mother in Lancaster when he learned of the sneak theft, which eventually saw Youngs jailed for 12 weeks by Burnley magistrates last month.

Mr Dawson said: “The response from people has just been overwhelming. I just want to thank everyone who has been raising money.”

Mr McNee, an academic based in London, was keen to play down his generosity but the old soldier has had the chance to thank him personally by telephone.

His carer mother-of-four Kaeren Foulds, of Bergen Street, added: “This has been such a nice surprise for Kenneth after all that he’s been through. It’s been amazing the way people have rallied around.

“We had a benefit night at Rosegrove Unity Club, where we had a raffle and a collection box, which has so far raised just over £400, and he was also presented with a hamper. The New Burnley Past and Present Facebook group also held a collection.

“Then there is the Just Giving charity page, which was set up by Kelly Decruz and is still raising money for Kenneth. We even had a cheque from an old lady in Malta, who gave us £25, and we had another £15 from a lady in Northampton, as well as another cheque from an anonymous businessman.”

Soccer starlets from Sycamore United JFC have also weighed in with their own gift, after their coach David White, explained what had happened to the OAP.

“After I told the boys what a bad thing it was to do they asked if they could collect money between themselves and hand it over,” said David.

The club contacted Kaeren and arrangements were made for Mr Dawson to attend one of their training sessions at St Mary’s Primary School, in Wellfield Drive, where the collection organisers handed over a cheque for £150 and another hamper.

Mr Dawson, who was a rifleman from 1943 to 1951 and served in Singapore, Malaya and Burma, was targeted by Youngs, 53, after the pair met at Rosegrove Unity, where the senior citizen was a committee member for more than 30 years.

Police were called in when Kaeren noticed that Mr Dawson’s bank account had dwindled significantly. Youngs is now barred for life from the Accrington Road club.