ARMY chiefs have are trying to trace surviving relatives of a North-East war hero who was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

The remains of Sergeant David Harkness Blakey, who hailed from Felling, in Gateshead, were discovered during a road widening project near Thiepval, in the Picardy region of northern France, last November.

He was identified by his metal idenfication tag.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "When the remains of British service personnel are discovered on historic battlefields, the Ministry of Defence attempts to identify any living relatives so that they can be involved in the subsequent re-interment and memorial service.

"We are currently searching for any surviving relatives of Sergeant David Harkness Blakey of the 11th Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who died on July 1, 1916 in the Battle of the Somme.

"In December 1916 he was posthumously awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field."

The British Army suffered 60,000 casualties on the first day of the day of the battle, making it the bloodiest day in British history.

Sgt Blakey was born in 1890 in Felling, in what was then County Durham.

He was the son of Isabella and Henry Blakey, a coal miner.

Sgt Blakey had one brother, Robert and two sisters, Mary and Jane.

He worked as a hewer in the coal mines and was a member of the Durham Miners' Trade Union, before enlisting in the Army. He lived in Fellling and Blaydon.

Sgt Blakey and his wife Sarah had two children, Henry and Vivien Winifred.

His son Henry followed his father into the Army, and as Bombardier Blakey was killed in action at Dunkirk on June 6, 1940.

Anyone who might be able to help trace the relatives has been asked to contact Lynne Gammond, Army Media and Communication, on 07769 887 707 or 03067 701 322 or email lynne.gammond453@mod.uk.