Hero betrayed

IN a society where young people don't always cover themselves in glory, Private Aron Shelton is a genuine hero. The 26-year-old Afghanistan veteran, who lost his leg in December 2008 after an explosion in Helmand Province, has already had to face great suffering at an early stage in life. So the decision to take away his disability benefit is not just wrong, it is appalling.

Private Shelton, from Bridlington, was only receiving 180 a month from the state. Yet sadly there are thousands of workshy Britons, who take far more from the taxpayer, having contributed far less. The soldier deserved much more than such a modest payout, rather than to see it cut. Whichever merciless bureaucrat decided to take away his allowance clearly has no knowledge of the life Private Shelton has been forced to lead since he returned from combat fighting the wretched Taliban. With a prosthetic leg, his own "sheer guts and determination" helped him learn to walk again but, as any former soldier will testify, such an injury still leads to a lifetime of physical and mental challenges, despite the support of family and friends.

The money, which paid for Private Shelton's specially-adapted car, is vital to his chances of having a decent life. It seems inevitable that the Department for Work and Pensions will have to reverse its decision. Doing so would send a message that Britain values its veterans and will not forget their contribution to fighting terrorism, helping some of the poorest people in the world and protecting freedom.