SECOND world war legend Bill Millin, of Dawlish, has died after a short illness in Torbay Hospital, aged 87.

Lord Lovat's piper had continued marching up and down the Normandy beaches playing his bagpipes under shelling and fire during the D Day Landings in June 1944.

Further inland at the head of the troops, the Glasgow-born piper survived when the top of a drone pipe was shot off his bagpipes by a German sniper.

The German's nicknamed him The Mad Piper and some snipers who were captured admitted they had not shot him because they thought he was crazy.

Bill was honoured in Normandy at the 60th anniversary ceremonies in 2004, while the Isle of Man issued a commemorative stamp featuring an image depicting Bill playing his bagpipes during the D Day Landings on Sword Beach.

He also wrote a book of his experiences and his actions were featured in the star studded film The Longest Day.

His bagpipes, kilt, commando beret and knife are on display in the National War Museum of Scotland, in Edinburgh Castle.

An appeal has been launched by the people of Colleville, Normandy, to build a bronze statue of Bill in tribute to his heroism. It had been hoped that he could have unveiled it on the anniversary of the D Day Landings in June, but the appeal has not yet reached its target.

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