A RUNCORN First World hero has been honoured.

Exactly 100 years after Private Thomas ‘Todger’ Jones was awarded the Victoria Cross, a new memorial has been created.

The Mayor of Halton Cllr Ged Philbin and Percy Dunbavand, Private Jones’ great nephew unveiled a commemorative stone beside his statue in the memorial garden on Greenway Road.

Neil Thornton, chairman of the Todger Jones statue appeal, read a citation of how this brave soldier was awarded the highest award for gallantry for killing a sniper and capturing 102 soldiers single-handedly in the Battle of Morval in 1916.

He served in the 22nd Cheshire Regiment and won three medals for bravery during the Great War - the Distinguished Conduct Medal, Territorial Efficiency Medal and the Victoria Cross.

Guests at the ceremony included David Briggs, the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Kathy Cowell, High Sheriff of Cheshire, Halton MP Derek Twigg, Halton Council leader Cllr Rob Polhill, representatives from the Mercian Regiment, Halton Royal British Legion, Runcorn Veterans Associationi and Cheshire Regiment Association.

Private Jones was awarded the VC on October 26, 1916 after he had performed an act of bravery a month earlier on September 25.

He was with his company covering the advance in front of a village when he noticed an enemy sniper 200 yards away.

He left his trench on his own and crossed no man's land without covering fire.

Although one bullet went through his helmet and another through his coat, he returned the sniper's fire and killed him.

Near the enemy trench Private Jones noticed two more Germans who were displaying a white flag whilst simultaneously firing at him, he shot them both.

Then he found several occupied dug-outs and single-handedly disarmed 102 Germans including four officers, and the entire trench was marched back to British lines through a heavy barrage by Jones and his comrades.

Private Jones died in 1956 and is buried in Runcorn Cemetery and his Victoria Cross is displayed at the Cheshire Military Museum in Chester.