A film about the lives of York Normandy veterans Sid Metcalfe and Ken Cooke is due to be screened at an international film festival this week – and is also up for a prestigious award.

The film - Never Too Young, Never Too Old - was made by Sid’s great-grandson George Child, and features interviews with Sid and Ken in which they reminisce about their wartime service and their lives since.

It will be screened at the Tees Valley International Film Festival in Stockton-on-Tees on Thursday at 3:45pm – and has also been nominated for the festival’s Best Documentary award.

The winner of that award will be revealed on Saturday at ARC – the Stockton Arts Centre - at an event which will be attended by actor/singer Robson Green.

Sid - who, during the war, was a driver mechanic with a reconnaissance unit which landed at Sword Beach on D-Day plus 10 - sadly passed away on Remembrance Day last year, aged 99.

The film concludes with scenes from his funeral at St Lawrence Church in York last December.

Ken, 98, a former Green Howards private who took part as a young man in the D-Day landings at Gold Beach, is now York’s last surviving Normandy veteran.

He was Person of the Year at the recent Community Pride Awards organised by the York Press.

Nick Beilby of the York Normandy Veterans said Never Too Young, Never Too Old, the film about Sid and Ken, had already been screened at Brighton Rocks International Film Festival back in June, where it was runner up in the Best Short Documentary category.

It was made by Sid’s great-grandson George and George’s dad Mick, and as well as featuring interviews and archive photos of Sid and Ken, includes a short interview with George himself, paying tribute to his great-granddad.

Nick said George and Mick began filming with Sid in 2018.

“(Sid) … was so excited to film with George,” Nick said. “The film was completed by George and Mick after Sid sadly passed on Remembrance Day last year, hours before he was due to attend a memorial service at Church of St Lawrence in York.”

Hundreds of mourners – including serving members of the armed forces – attended Sid’s funeral at St Lawrence’s on December 8 last year. The service included a moving rendition of The Last Post.

Ken, meanwhile, received a standing ovation when he was named Person of the Year at the Community Pride awards at York Racecourse last month.

Never Too Young, Never Too Old is being screened at ARC Stockton at 3:45pm on Thursday. The screening is free to attend. Tickets can be obtained in advance at arconline.co.uk/whats-on/tviff-showcase-of-best-documentary-selections-block-2/