Paul Panter, aged five, watches as the West Germany football team train in Comet country for their World Cup final match against England. This photograph, taken 40 years ago this week, captures the German team practising at their training headquarters in

Paul Panter, aged five, watches as the West Germany football team train in Comet country for their World Cup final match against England.

This photograph, taken 40 years ago this week, captures the German team practising at their training headquarters in Bragbury End, Stevenage, before the biggest match of their lives on July 30.

This week The Comet caught up with Olive Panter, Paul's mother, who told us that her son is now a policeman and she still has a framed copy of the original photograph.

Mrs Panter, of Broadwater Crescent, Stevenage, said: "Wow, I cannot believe you still have a copy of this photo. He will be delighted to hear that you were asking about him because it was a really long time ago that he went watching them train just before the final.

"I remember that he was really looking forward to going down there and he had a great time and to find out that he was in the paper was lovely, just lovely."

Paul was one of two youngsters caught on camera in the company of the German team that week. Ten-year-old Stevenage boy Andrew Goodman was shown getting the autograph of team manager Helmut Schoen.