A HEARTLESS thief has stolen a Union Flag from a local armed forces veteran sleeping out in Trowbridge Town Park on Friday night.

The flag was taken from Andy Asquith and his friend Nigel Cutting while they were raising funds for the Royal British Legion’s Great Tommy Sleep Out challenge.

Mr Asquith, 58, who lives in Trowbridge, said the flag was on a pole tied to a cord attached their tarpaulin and was stolen while they slept.

Wiltshire Times: Andy Asquith's Union Flag was tied to a pole next to their sleep out in Trowbridge Town Park but was gone by the time they awoke on Saturday morning. Andy Asquith's Union Flag was tied to a pole next to their sleep out in Trowbridge Town Park but was gone by the time they awoke on Saturday morning. (Image: Andy Asquith)

“It was something that I’ve had since I left the army in 2006 and has sentimental value. I bought it when I went to Iraq in 2003.

“I’m a bit disappointed because if they had woken me up and asked for it, I probably would have given it to them,” he said.

Wiltshire Times: The Union Flag was missing from the pole by the next morning. The Union Flag was missing from the pole by the next morning. (Image: Andy Asquith)

Mr Asquith, who works as an engineering manager for a defence contractor, said he managed to recover the flag pole but found the flag had been ripped off.

“I recovered the bit of wood but the flag was missing. There was just a little corner of it left where they had ripped it off.”

Mr Asquith said he and Nigel, who comes from Hastings in East Sussex, have raised more than £900 towards the national challenge.

“It was quite windy on Friday night and we had a tiny bit of rain in the middle of the night but it was really rather warm so we were fortunate.

“Once all the revellers had left the park and the drunkards walking through and everyone wanting to beat each other up, I got a good night’s sleep.

“My and my colleague Nigel slept quite well actually.”

Wiltshire Times: Andy Asquith and Nigel Cutting took part in the Great Tommy Sleep Out in Trowbridge Town Park on Friday night. Image: Trevor Porter 76940-1Andy Asquith and Nigel Cutting took part in the Great Tommy Sleep Out in Trowbridge Town Park on Friday night. Image: Trevor Porter 76940-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr Asquith, who is originally from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, served for more than 22 years with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

He retired from REME as a Warrant Officer 1 after completing tours in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo and Cyprus. He also worked for two years as a civilian engineer at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

“I was very lucky. I’ve still got two arms and two legs, but many of the homeless veterans are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or have drug and alcohol problems.”

The UK’s largest village for armed forces veterans at Aylesford in Kent run by RBL Industries provides 300 people with housing, care and welfare support.

RBL Industries has so far collected more than £1 million from the Great Tommy Sleep Out to help 6,000 homeless former servicemen and women.