Man arrested after 96-year-old D-Day veteran seriously injured in claw hammer attack at his home

A man has been arrested after a 96-year-old D-Day hero was seriously injured in a brutal claw hammer attack at his home.

Jim Booth was left with injuries to his head and body after he was assaulted answering the door of his bungalow home in Taunton, Somerset, on Wednesday.

After the attack, he stumbled outside his house, in Gipsy Lane, where he was spotted by a passing woman and rushed to hospital. The father-of-four's condition was described as "serious but stable" this morning.

Police have since arrested a 39-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder and aggravated burglary.

Mr Booth is the only survivor of a crack ten-man team who spent five days half a mile underwater in two mini subs, X-20 and X-23, before the D-Day invasion of 1944.

The daring operation helped guide Allied landing craft to Sword beach instead of drifting on to jagged rocks.

He and the team spied on Nazi troops across the shorelines before shining beacons across the sea to guide Allied forces across the treacherous rocks.

In 2015, he was photographed dancing with the Duchess of Cornwall at an event in London to celebrate the 70th anniversary of VJ day.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary launched a public appeal yesterday, describing the attack on Mr Booth as “vicious and sickening”.

Following the arrest, DCI James Riccio said: "We've made an arrest following investigative work carried out since the attack on Wednesday. We’ve updated Mr Booth’s family and will continue to support them.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has phoned in with information following our public appeal for information yesterday.”