South Holland District Council says it will soon announce plans on the restoration of Spalding War Memorial

Council bosses say they will be announcing plans to restore a listed war memorial to its former glory shortly – which has been welcomed by figures in the town.

Spalding War Memorial – designed by Sir Edwin Luteyns who also planned the national Cenotaph – has begun to look in a sorry state with bits of plaster coming off the bottom of the structure in the town’s Ayscoughfee Gardens.

South Holland District Council is waiting to hear if it has been successful in getting a grant to restore the monument which honours the town men who died in the First World War and promises to be announce further plans soon.

The news has been welcomed by MP Sir John Hayes who has been calling for the site to be tied up and hopes it will be ready in time for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

He said: “I am delighted that the council are taking steps to clean up the memorial which is after all there to mark the sacrifice of people that fought for our community.”

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A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said: “We have spoken with the council and have been told that this is a priority.”

St Mary’s ward member Coun Mark Le Sage says he has a meeting coming up to discuss the war memorial but is also pleased that action will be taken.

He said: “We have been pushing as we think this structure is of huge historical importance to the everyone in South Holland. People come from all over to pay their respects.”

A council spokesman said: “There’s no news on the funding applications as yet, but the council is proceeding with plans to carry out works on the monument and surrounding area as a priority and should be able to announce further plans soon.”

The council, which has been tackling graffiti across the town, will also be removing tags from gates in the Love Lane boundary wall of Ayscoughfee.