Leeds war veteran appeals for help to find lost collection of 16 glass eyes

A Leeds war veteran who was partially blinded while serving overseas has appealed for help to find his missing collection of glass eyes.

Simon Brown, from Morley, joined forces with Blind Veterans UK and took to social media after losing the collection over Christmas.

He last saw the brown tupperware box, containing 16 different themed glass eyes, on December 17 and believes it may have been lost on a Virgin Trains service between Leeds and London.

Former Woodkirk Academy pupil Mr Brown, 39, was shot in the face by a sniper in 2006 while serving in Iraq with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

A statue of the war veteran, created by Help for Heroes, was been unveiled at his former school last year, as a “symbol” of the sacrifices made by soldiers.

"Over Christmas I kept my eyes in a box and I have lost it," he told the YEP.

"It could have fallen out or something and gone missing - but I've checked all the obvious places and to see if they have been handed in."

The appeal on social media to find the collection, posted by Blind Veterans UK's official Twitter account, went viral and has since been retweeted more than 70 times since yesterday.

Mr Brown has been forced to wear his Rudolph Christmas-themed glass eye after losing the collection on December 17.

"When I told people at work, they said 'put something on Twitter'," Mr Brown said.

"I did and it has just exploded from there.

"A lot of people have been sharing and re-tweeting for me, getting the jungle drums going as it were. It's just if the right person sees it.

"Everyone is doing so much to try and help me now, which is one of the reasons I hope that the box turns up because of everyone's efforts."

Some of the glass eyes from Simon Brown's missing collection.

The loss of the collection means Mr Brown has been forced to don a Christmas-themed Rudolph glass eye since mid-December.

He said: "I have been left wearing my Rudolph Christmas eye in January, which is a bit unfortunate.

"But I have a couple on order which should be here by next month hopefully."

If anyone has found the brown box, or the collection of eyes, Mr Brown has asked them to contact Blind Veterans UK, at which he now serves as a spokesman for.

"If they contact them I will arrange for them to be picked up and give them a big thank you," he added.

Blind Veterans UK can be contacted on 0114 267 2550.