Pensioner Bill Bailey, who spent 45 years working for the Ministry of Defence, is asking for donations for Help for Heroes and Wiltshire Air Ambulance appeal instead of presents on his 70th birthday.

Mr Bailey, who lives in Martins Close in Bottlesford, is expecting more than 100 at his birthday bash at Woodborough Social Club on Saturday November 20.

Guests are coming from as far away as the north and the Midlands.

The invitations to his party have made it clear that he does not want any presents but wants donations instead to be shared between the charities.

He and his wife Dorothy were not sure whether to hold a party and she said: “What do you want when you reach 70 anyway?”

Mr Bailey said: “We were discussing this with close friends and they suggested that we should do something for charity and put forward the air ambulance appeal as one idea and it just snowballed from there.

“We decided that one of the charities had to be Help for Heroes because of the marvellous job they do and we decided to include the air ambulance appeal for the same reason.”

As well as money given in place of gifts there will be a big raffle on the night and the proceeds from that will go into the pot as well.

Mr Bailey said the proceeds will be divided equally between the charities.

Mr Bailey used to collect for the air ambulance appeal when he worked for the MoD at Wilton and said he was delighted to be able to fund-raise for the charity again.

“We are going to have this big get-together on the 20th at Woodborough Social Club, but I have made it clear to everyone we have invited that I don’t want any personal presents, just donations which we will be splitting between the two charities.”

Despite his long service to the MoD, Mr Bailey has never served with the armed forces.