French officials have stepped up a fundraising campaign to build a lifesize bronze statue honouring Bill Millin, the Second World War bagpipe player who has died, aged 88.

Mr Millin was just 22 when he waded ashore at Sword Beach on D-Day, playing Highland Laddie to boost morale as shells exploded around him.

His memorial in Colleville-Montgomery, Calvados, will cost about €70,000 to build.

Mr Millin, whose actions were immortalised in the 1962 Oscar-winning film The Longest Day, was living in a retirement home in Dawlish, Devon, following a stroke.

He had hoped to come out to Normandy to attend the unveiling ceremony for the statue.

He told The Advertiser earlier this year: “I never expected anything like this. It is a great honour. It is a good likeness. It is very good of the French to do this for me.”

The Association D-Day Piper Bill Millin has been set up to organise raising the money needed for the statue; so far donations have come from people in France, Britain and the United States.

Serge Athenour de Gourdon, president of the Mary Queen of Scots Pipe Band of France, who is leading the fundraising push, told The Advertiser: “To date much has been achieved including a site for the statue, a natural stone plinth and production of a half-scale model of the proposed statue.

“Although much interest has been generated through the press, the project is still well short of target.”

The group is working with the Scottish Parliament and the city of Edinburgh for a venue in October to organise a fundraising event. Scotland’’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, has said he will attend the unveiling in Normandy.

You can donate online at http://tinyurl.com/billmillin

Donations can also be made at the mairie in Colleville-Montgomery: 02 31 97 12 61.