ENGRAVER Luke Seago has received an award honouring his efforts commemorating servicemen who have died in action.

Yesterday, Luke, 27, who has worked as an assistant at the Vince Ayris shop, in Havelock Street, for 11 years, received a certificate from The Mercian Regiment to mark his efforts.

Since 2009, he and Vince Ayris, who runs the shop, have given their time to support the Armed Forces.

When a serviceman dies, the Army gives their families a 30mm cross to honour them and a shell case. The pair engrave the items with personal information about the soldiers. So far, they have completed 322 engravings, 25 of them for the Merican Regiment.

Luke said: “I’m proud and happy to receive this award, it is such a great honour.

“Vince told me about it and it came as a really nice surprise.”

In September, the regiment presented Vince with the same honour.

Vince said: “I’m so proud of Luke for getting this. It is a privilege to know that we are making a small difference and now that we are out of Afghanistan the forces want to take the time to pay tribute to those who have supported them.”

When a soldier’s body is repatriated, their family is presented with the personalised cross, while their commanding officer will give them the shell when they return from service.

The shell is used by soldiers at a commemoration service at Camp Bastion, the British Military base in Afghanistan, before it is sent to Britain.

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Temminck, of the Merican Regiment, said: “When we were taking the casualties we never had the chance to take the time to acknowledge the support we received.

“There are only four of these certificates that have been handed out and two of them are in this shop.

“I visit the bereaved and the engraved items are always in pride of place.”

The shop has also recently been named as the regiment’s official engravers.

Vince said: “It is a huge honour and we really appreciate it.”

Colonel Temminck said: “The honour is all ours, as the quality of their work is spot on.”