A NEGLECTED war memorial in Skipton is to receive a long-awaited facelift.

War veterans and local residents were upset last Remembrance Day as they felt the Aireville Park memorial gates were unsuitable as a place to reflect on their lost comrades.

Graffiti was scrawled on the masonry, coping stones were missing and surrounding flower beds had been left in a sorry state.

But since plans were announced for the wider-reaching refurbishments of Aireville Park itself, the town and district councils have got together to bring the gates back to their former glory.

Coun Marcia Turner, who campaigned last year to get something done about the forgotten monument, said: "It's great news that work is finally about to start on the memorial.

"It was an absolute sin that those who wanted to pay their respects at the gates found that the place was unacceptable to them.

"And because it is so near to the local schools it wasn't much of an example to youngsters as a marker to those who suffered through the war."

Jean Jeffery, clerk to the town council, has said that Craven District Council's own workers have won the contract to undertake the work, which involves replacing coping stones and landscaping the immediate area.

Mick Cartledge, CDC's service development manager, said: "Basically we had an underspend and found we had the money to help the town council carry out the work."

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