Hunstanton DUKW in France for 80th anniversary of D-Day

Ryan Hayward and Noel Shelley from Hunstanton joined Lincolnshire hotelier Harold Payne on board his restored DUKW at Arromanches, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the invasion.

While Allied forces had the Germans to contend with when they landed on June 6, 1944, the trio on board the DUKW soon ran foul of the French.

The DUKWs from the UK, Holland and Italy launch via the slipway before finding themselves in hot water (Image: Noel Shelley)

The DUKW is driven across the beach by Ryan Hayward (Image: Noel Shelley)

On the morning of D-Day, three of the vintage craft found their way onto the beach down a slipway, without realising they were straying into the security zone designed to protect world leaders attending the ceremony.

Armed French police were soon on the scene, followed by what those on board assumed were special forces.

Mr Shelley, 74, who works as a marine engineer, said: "We were all eventually detained, the Dutch DUKW at gun point. 

READ MORE: Hunstanton boatman set to drive DUKW on Normandy beaches

The DUKW with other military vehicles in France (Image: Noel Shelley)

"The authorities got their own back on us by later closing the slipway and guarding it, so we had a two mile trip down to the next village to leave the beach. However did they get ashore in 1944..?"

Mr Shelley drove Mr Payne's DUKW 20 years ago for previous owners Searles Seatours at Hunstanton.

Nigel Farage on board the DUKW (Image: Noel Shelley)

He said back then, he never dreamed he would be swopping Sunny Hunny for Normandy.

Once the DUKW landed safely Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage, who was among those driving restored vehicles around the beaches, hopped aboard and chatted to Mr Hayward, 23.

Nigel Farage enjoyed a tour of the DUKW (Image: Noel Shelley)

Mr Shelley said: "I keep ribbing Ryan about it, Nigel Farage is his new best friend." 

Mr Farage would later fire a broadside at prime minister Rishi Sunak for missing a reception of world leaders in Normandy, instead flying back to the UK to resume the election campaign.

World leaders at the D-Day commemoration in France (Image: PA)

Mr Sunak later apologises after a widespread backlash from all sides including his own party.

Sunrise on the beach at Arromanches on the 80th anniversary of D-Day (Image: PA)