CANADIANS have donated more than £5,500 to The Northern Echo's Forgotten Hero appeal, taking the total so far raised to £22,542.

Donations have been flooding in to the Canadian Air Force Heritage Fund to pay for a statue to mark the bravery of Second World War airman Andrew Mynarski at Teesside International Airport.

The Northern Echo launched the £40,000 appeal to commemorate Pilot Officer Mynarski's bravery during a mission over France in 1944.

The 27-year-old, from Winnipeg, Canada, plunged to his death after desperately trying to save the life of his fellow gunner, Pat Brophy, who was trapped at the rear of the flak-hit plane.

The crew had set off from the Royal Canadian Air Force base at Middleton St George, near Darlington, which is now the airport.

Readers of the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper have pledged the money to the heritage fund.

Editor Nick Hirst said the amount raised so far was fantastic. He said: "As an Englishman from the North well acquainted with The Northern Echo, I think it is wonderful that there is going to be a memorial for Mynarski in a place I know well."

The editor of The Northern Echo, Peter Barron, said: "We are incredibly grateful to those in Canada who have got behind our campaign, and we hope that they will continue to support our appeal. We also want to thank our readers for the donations they have made and are delighted to be over the halfway mark."

Captain Ben Bond, air force historian with the 1st Canadian Air Division, said he was delighted with the response. "We are promoting the appeal to our members. We have also written to the Mayor of Winnipeg to try to raise more funds," he said.

The appeal has touched the hearts of Canadian servicemen who were stationed at Middleton St George during the war.

Chuck Carpenter, who was originally from Winnipeg but who now lives in Somerset, said: "I felt I had to send a small donation for that statue because we feel so proud to be part of it."

Anyone who wishes to make a donation can send a cheque made payable to The Northern Echo's Forgotten Hero Appeal to: The Forgotten Hero Appeal, Newsdesk, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF