His name was cast in metal 60 years ago, along with other fallen heroes of the Second World War. But George O'Key is very much in the land of the living. Chris Brayshay reports on the man who went to find his dead brother's name - and found his own instead.

REPORTS of George O'Key's death have been greatly exaggerated. The 83-year-old has been happily going about his business unaware local records had him listed as dead.

Just by chance, the pensioner caught sight of his name engraved on the war memorial in Middlesbrough, where it was installed almost 60 years ago.

"I was flabbergasted," said Mr O'Key.

"I thought 'well I'm blowed'.

"I went into the park manager's office and said 'I just want you to know I'm still alive'.

"I think they thought I was a nutter. But, I said 'you have got the wrong name'."

The name on the memorial should have been that of his brother, Frederick, who died as a Japanese prisoner of war slave worker on the notorious Burma Siam railway, in January 1944.

Frederick's name is correctly listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission War Memorial in Myanmar, in Burma.

Middlesbrough Council made the slip up over the brothers' names when it came to listing the town's fallen, on the Linthorpe Road memorial at the end of the Second World War.

Stuart Johnston, manager of Albert Park, has arranged for a specialist fine-art casting company to carry out the alterations.

Mr O'Key said: "At the least they have had the decency to put it right.

"I have got to say it's a relief to know, at last, his name is being recognised.

"The point is I could have died and my name would have been there for ever.

"Mind, I was tempted to walk into the council offices and ask them to cancel my tax, saying I'm not here. I'm dead."

Frederick, who was serving with the Royal Artillery, died at the hands of the Japanese at the age of 29.

He was seven years older than George, who joined the Merchant Navy when only 16 and whose ship was torpedoed while in a convoy in the Mediterranean.

The two boys and a sister, Doris, had been brought up in a children's home. Before the war, Frederick kept in touch with George through their sister, who has since died.

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said: "When we heard of this anomaly we were more than happy to put the record straight, to make up for this and to be able to record his brother's name where it should be."

Mr Johnston said Mr O'Key "pointed out that he was very much alive and in good health. The least we can do is correct the mistake which was made many years ago."

The correct name should be in place in the autumn.