Crowds gather at care home in Brigg to give bedbound veteran, 86, military surprise

Hundreds of bikers, veterans and locals from a village in North Lincolnshire have come together for a special surprise of a lifetime for one care home resident.

Charlie Drinkwater, 86, served in the Grenadier Guards 3rd Battalion between 1957 and 1959 and when care home staff in Brigg asked him what his one wish was he said to meet more veterans like him.

After a plea was posted on social media, hundreds of people turned up to visit him on Sunday.

The Grimbsy Sea Cadets played at the event for Charlie outside Wrawby Hall Care Home

Charlie described the day as "spot on."

His daughter Fiona Esberger said: "It's absolutely amazing, unbelievable. his passion in life has been motorbikes and of course the time he served in the military. This has brought the two together so it's just wonderful for him."

A military band and bagpipers were among the hundreds of people who arrived at Wrawby Hall Care Home.

There was also a contingent of bikers as Charlie loves motorbikes.

Charlie described the day as "spot on"

Danielle Savage from the care home said: "Charlie started talking about his time in the forces. And we felt, because he was speaking about it so passionately, that we had to do something with that.

"I know there's people coming from the Grenadier Guards, from all different areas of the forces, and it's bringing them all together. It's something that for many many years hopefully people will remember."

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