Bradford Council has started the delicate process of re-locating city centre memorials that stand in the area designated for the mirror pool City Park.

Many of the memorials will be located in a new area in nearby Norfolk Gardens, including those to Sergeant Michael Hawcroft and PC Sharon Beshenivsky, both of whom lost their lives trying to arrest criminals.

But Council bosses have stressed that the Bradford City Fire Memorial will not be moved and will be enhanced to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the fire disaster in May.

A total of 20 memorials were discovered within the boundaries of the £24.4 million park and the Council has held discussions about their possible relocation with the families and organisations concerned.

Some of the memorials will remain in their positions while others are being situated in parks across the district.

Memorial trees are being removed by a specialist tree spade and re-planted in Lister Park, Roberts Park, Peel Park and Russell Hall Park.

One of them, planted in 1998 to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, will find a new home in Peel Park.

Councillor Adrian Naylor, the Council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “The Council has worked hard to reach all the families and organisations related to each of the memorials and have adapted the City Park design to accommodate their wishes or worked with our Parks and Landscapes Service to locate the memorials in parks across the district.

“It has been fascinating researching the history of each of the memorials and I would like to thank everybody who has supported us in reaching all the parties involved.

“The City Park is a transformational project driving forward the new vision for Bradford. These memorials provide a link to the history of Bradford and it’s vital that the City Park can reflect both the future and the history of the city and district.”

Once the City Park is complete in the summer of 2011, more trees will be planted in the space and consideration has been given to which time of the year these are planted so as not to disturb nesting seasons.

Memorials within the City Park boundary

* Bradford Fire Disaster, including Amanda Jayne Roberts, – marks the 1985 fire disaster at Bradford City’s Valley Parade stadium in which 56 people died. * Centenary Square Opening – commemorates the official opening of the new pedestrian area in front of City Hall in 1997.

* Citizens of Sarajevo – remembers Oslobodenje, a daily newspaper in Sarajevo which continued production during the siege of the city in 1992.

* Bradford City of Peace – dedicated in December 1997 to recognise Bradford Council’s resolution to declare Bradford a City of Peace * Hiroshima and Nagasaki – remembers the dropping of atomic bombs on August 6 and 9, 1945, which killed 108,000 people instantly.

* Irene Smith – in memory of the Lady Mayoress of Bradford of 1973 to 1974.

* Bhopal 1984/Killed at Work Memorial Day – in memory of those killed and maimed in the Bhopal chemical gas leak in India and all employees killed and hurt by work hazards.

* Sergeant Michael Hawcroft – memorial to policeman who was fatally stabbed on duty in Bradford in 1981.

* PC Sharon Beshenivsky – peace sculpture in memory of the fallen police constable who was shot, aged 38, at the Universal Express travel agency in Morley Street, Bradford, on November 18, 2005.

* Princess Diana – a plaque unveiled on the first anniversary of the death of the Princess of Wales.

* Tribute to Harry Ambler – former chief constable in Bradford remembered with an inscribed pavestone outside City Hall.

* The Tyrls – opening by the Queen in 1974.

* Chernobyl – commemorates the Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster of 1985.

* Tasawar Hussain – in memory of the dad-of-two who was gunned down while chasing armed robbers from a travel agency in Manningham, in January 2003.

* Bob Cryer MP – a tree in memory of the late Bradford South MP and CND peace campaigner who died in a road accident in 1994.

* The origins of three other tributes are being investigated, they include: Rotary International (1905 – 2005) City Centre Park, Silver Plaque for City Centre Park and Bradford’s Twin Towns.