Grieving Mother Appeals For Help Finding Dog Tags

The grieving mother of a British soldier killed in Iraq has made an emotional appeal after losing her son's dog tags.

Anne, the mother of Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington, was training to scale the three highest peaks in Yorkshire in her son's memory when she lost his tags, along with a St Christopher pendant.

The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment soldier, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, died at the age of 22 in a "tragic accident" last month.

He was the first British soldier to die in Iraq since 2009. 

Anne told the Manchester Evening News it would mean "the absolute world" if she got the mementos back. She said:

"I've got Scott back a bit when I touch them, because I know he had them on. They've gone through Afghanistan, the Falklands. They've been everywhere with him. I never thought they'd come undone."

She was training for the Three Peaks' Challenge on Pen-y-ghent, in the Yorkshire Dales, on Sunday, to raise money for her son's four-month-old old daughter Safaya-Rose, when they fell off.

She hopes the money raised will enable her son's partner Savannah to finish refurbishing the house he had bought for his family. 

LCpl Hetherington had planned to use his salary from Iraq on their garden.

Anne realised the tags were missing on her way home, after slipping off the chains around her neck, and fears the windy conditions may have caused the catch to loosen. She said:

"I'm always touching the pendants. I only take them off for the shower. They mean absolutely everything. Scott's grandma bought him the St Christopher pendant when he joined the army cadets at 11."

She began the climb at 10am, taking the red route up and the gentle slope down on the other side.

Anne is asking for anyone with information to contact the Manchester Evening Newsdesk on 0161 2112340 or [email protected]

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