A 104-year-old British “hero in the shadows” has been awarded the French Legion of Honour.

Christian Lamb was posted in secret to Whitehall in London at the start of 1944, and created detailed maps that guided the crews of landing craft on D-Day.

Ms Lamb sat in a wheelchair during the UK’s commemoration event in Ver-sur-Mer in Normandy, as French President Emmanuel Macron bent down to pin the medal on, before kissing her on both cheeks.

Mr Macron then said: “You were, in your own way, among those figures in the shadow of D-Day.

“You were not there in person but you guided each step they took.”

He added: “You have set us an example which we’ll not forget.

“France will never forget the British troops who landed on D-Day and all their brothers in arms.”