LOCAL businesses in Greengates have banded together to raise money for the village's war memorial.

Aldo's Italian, based in Harrogate Road a stone's throw from the memorial gardens, donated a meal voucher, which was raffled at the nearby Cracker Barrel micro-pub.

The raffle raised £190, which Friends of Greengates Cenotaph used to buy 100 plants for the gardens, which pupils from Greengates Primary School helped to plant over two days.

Peter and Marian Cannon, chair and treasurer of the Friends of group, were presented with the donation at the Cracker Barrel, based in the old post office.

Mike Frazer, secretary of Friends of Greengates Cenotaph, said: "The Cracker Barrel and Aldo's Italian are two great local businesses who support the Greengates and Apperley Bridge communities.

"When the micro-pub opened out of the old post office premises we knew they would be selling spirits as well as craft beers, but we did not know that their 'spirit' had a community flavour."

Two perspex Tommy statues are also set to be installed at the memorial later this year thanks to donations from the local community, to create another lasting memorial to local soldiers lost during the First World War.