A CALL has been made to rename a road after Teesside war hero Stanley Hollis – the only man to be awarded the Victoria Cross on D-Day.

Company Sergeant Major Hollis , who served with the Green Howards, was born in Middlesbrough and was awarded the Victoria Cross for acts of heroism.

A statue to the Second World War veteran was unveiled in Middlesbrough in 2015 but Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has now launched a campaign to rename a street after him.

He wants to see Council of Europe Boulevard, in Stockton, renamed Stanley Hollis Road and has written to Stockton Council leader Bob Cook.

The road was originally called Trafalgar Street before being renamed in the 1990s following the redevelopment of the former Teesdale Head Wrightson works.

Mr Houchen said: “Stan Hollis is a true hero son of Teesside and everyone should know his unbelievable story of heroism.

“D-Day was a day of many acts of bravery in the face of a ferocious enemy that wanted to destroy our way of life, so for Stan to be the only British or Commonwealth soldier to be awarded a Victoria Cross on that day just goes to show how truly remarkable his actions were on that momentous day.

“There is hardly a more prominent but inappropriately named road in Teesside than ‘Council of Europe Boulevard’. Before Stockton Council took the extraordinary decision to rename the street it was named in honour of one of our nation’s greatest and most important military victories.

"I am astonished that there isn’t already a road in Teesside named in Stanley’s honour, something that should be redressed as quickly as possible, and what better way than this.”