A WIDNES student has beaten hundreds of applicants to become a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) centenary intern.

Adam Tomkins, 23, will be working in France and Belgium at some of the most important sites commemorating those who died in the two world wars.

Adam, from Appleton, said: “History has fascinated me from a young age and I applied for the role to gain a greater understanding of the CWGC and the world wars.

“My knowledge comes mainly from assisting my grandfather while he was researching a local battalion which served along the Western Front during the Great War.

“I feel that it is important that my generation recognises and honours the sacrifice made by the war dead, many of whom were around my age.”

The interns programme is a unique opportunity for young people to travel, live and work with the CWGC in France and Belgium during the summer months.

Liz Sweet, CWGC director of external relations in western Europe said: “The numbers of people visiting our cemeteries and memorials is at an all-time high but with the passage of time, many of those visitors are looking to the CWGC to provide more information about those who died, the wider history of the two world wars, and the work we do to care for such places.

“We were seeking the brightest and best of their generation to enrich that visitor experience and Adam will be part of a programme that makes a real difference to those visitors.”