Ex-serviceman calls for war memorial to be cleaned-up before Remembrance Sunday

by Jo Charlton

joanne.charlton@essnmedia.co.uk

An ex-serviceman is calling on the council to carry out much needed improvements to clean up a war memorial in time for Remembrance Sunday.

Chairman of New Addington Royal British Legion Michael Lyons said the council promised at the beginning of the year that the work would be done by next Sunday (November 8).

The council told the Advertiser this week it is hopeful the work will be completed but that no promise was ever made.

Mr Lyons, a veteran of the 1956 Suez campaign, said: "It looks like the Somme. You only have to look at it, it speaks for itself.

"The council promised me it would be done by Remembrance Sunday but that's not long now."

For years, he has been urging the council to carry out the work.

Mr Lyons says people park their cars on the grass verge near the memorial outside the legion in Alwyn Close.

They also walk on the grass so the ground becomes dirty, slippery and dangerous when wet.

"Not only does it make the memorial look dirty but someone's going to trip and hit their head," Mr Lyons explained.

The council wants to put bollards at the front of the legion to stop cars parking there, and also aims to put soil and plants near the memorial instead of grass to stop people walking there.

A council spokesman added: "The need for repairs has been logged and, although no promise was made, we are hopeful that it can be completed before Remembrance Sunday."