A NEW poppy appeal shield has been named in honour of a Rowley Regis soldier who was killed in Afghanistan seven years ago.

The Captain Sean Dolan Shield for the pub that raises the most money for the annual appeal run by Blackheath Royal British Legion was presented by his mother Daphne to the Britannia Inn.

Legion secretary Mark Spilsbury said it was an “emotional” inaugural presentation of the award, made more poignant because Capt Dolan had attended the nearby Britannia High School.

He said: “I named the trophy in his honour because he was a local lad and I just wanted his name kept in the public eye.”

The 40-year-old solider, who was married with a son, died after coming under fire from Taliban mortars in 2007, a tragic end to an “illustrious career” spanning 21 years with the 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters.

The Britannia raised almost £350 – a £300 rise on the previous year – which, Mr Spilsbury said, was due to the efforts of publicans Lee Wilson and Nigel Salsbury and their staff.

The 2014 appeal raised a record of almost £19,000 – a 34 per cent increase on 2013.

Mr Spilsbury said the increase was spearheaded by the area’s schools and pubs, which had all had increases.

Timbertree Primary School, Cradley Heath, won the Arthur Hodgetts Schools Shield for raising the most per pupil with a total of £224 for the first time and the small business shield went to Carters Newsagents, Blackheath High Street, which collected £381.

Mr Spilsbury added: “The appeal total has increased year on year since 2008, but this was the biggest increase. I can’t see any specific reason for it but I am extremely grateful to those who collected and those who donated.”