THE death of a popular D-Day veteran shortly after an out-of-hours GP refused to come out and see him has prompted an investigation.

Second World War artillery man Stan Paddon had been selling poppies with his brother, Les, in the run up to Remembrance Sunday but had been taken ill.

On the Saturday evening the 87-year-old, of Woodland Avenue, Hutton, was given medication by his trusted GP who told him in the event of an emergency to use the out-of-hours service.

Stan, who was one of thousands of troops to land on Normandy beaches in 1944, deteriorated but when his wife Vera contacted the 24-hour hotline she was told a GP would not come out to see him.

Tragically, he died the day after Remembrance Sunday despite the efforts of medics and his 81-year-old brother feels he was let down badly.

Les, himself a veteran , said: “They might not have been able treat him but he didn’t even have the offer.

“He was D-Day veteran He couldn’t say to the army I’m not going, you had to go.”

Stan, a keen fisherman and gardener, was a member of the 25th Field Regiment Royal Artillery and regularly supported the Royal British Legion, which was due to honour him with a certificate of service.

Both brothers lived in the same street, and spent more than 30 years working for the Essex Ambulance Service as mechanics.

Les added “I do get annoyed when people say, ‘well he was 87 what do you expect?’

“For these doctors to make decisions like that needs looking into.”

NHS South West Essex has said a review is underway but associate commissioning director NHS South West Essex, Carolyn Larsen, said she could not comment further until after a clinical review of Mr Paddon’s case notes was complete.