A Street man who was given permission by Ofcom to operate an amateur radio call sign in memory of those who lived and died in the First World War, says the event was a huge success.

Viv Morris was given the special event call sign of GB90WWI, and the radio hams who contacted the station were sent a commemorative card featuring Wells resident Harry Patch who, at 110, is the oldest surviving soldier of trench warfare on the Western Front.

The event put him in contact with people from all over the world, from the Aland Islands in the Baltic Sea to West Malaysia.

"I first got involved in ham radio in about 1982," said Mr Morris, who has a radio shack set up at his home in Street and usually operates under his own call sign, G4PLY.

In his time as an amateur radio enthusiast, he has managed to make contact with around 330 countries throughout the world and is on the look-out for the remaining 10 or so "rare" places.

"My great-uncle was killed during the war and it seemed a good way to pay tribute to those who fought in the war on the 90th anniversary of its end," he said.

"I had the call sign for a month and during that time, it got a lot of attention and a lot of people got in touch."

Once a station is contacted, call signs are logged and a card sent to that station. People who contacted Mr Morris were sent the commemorative card as a written confirmation of contact.

"I wrote to Mr Patch and asked for his permission to use his image on the contact card and invited him to come and see the station for himself – sadly, he couldn't make it to see the station, but he did allow us to use his picture on the contact card.

"Shortly after the station closed, I was out for a meal and happened to bump into Harry. I went over and introduced myself, and told him that his image had been sent all over the world because of the station and how many people had been in touch.

"It was wonderful to meet him and tell him all about the station and thank him for his support."