CAMELFORD has been remembering those who have sacrificed their lives in past wars and current conflicts in an alternative way this year — through rocks.

Founder of the Facebook page, Camelford Rocks, which encourages people to paint rocks and place them around the town for people to find and re-hide, Lexy McConnell wanted to honour those who risk their lives on a daily basis in conflicts around the world, as well as those who fought and lost their lives during the two world wars, in a different way for 2017.

Having visited the Menin Gate in Belgium last year with her family and spotted Remembrance rocks around the site, Lexy was keen to incorporate this into her own community at home this year.

She said: “As a family, we have been to the Menin Gate and watched the Last Post last year, as we think it’s really important for the children to learn and understand. I saw some other poppy rocks and decided to do the same in Camelford.

“We also went to the Menin Gate this year and placed several rocks there with our family — who started up Stubbington Rocks in Hampshire, after seeing me start Camelford Rocks.”

With paint and a collection of plain rocks at the ready, Lexy and her children began painting poppies, symbols and verses of remembrance to later take out with them and place around Camelford and on the war memorial following the recent Act of Remembrance.

Lexy also encouraged others to do the same via the Camelford Rocks Facebook page, which culminated in a handsome collection of remembrance rocks to honour those in past and current conflicts.

Lexy said: “I spoke with my children this morning to ask them what they thought I should say, and I’m proud to say they collectively wanted me to say it was our special way of remembering the soldiers who lost their lives in the wars so that we can live our lives today.”

Following Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, Lexy visited Camelford’s War Memorial again on the following Tuesday to find that there were even more Remembrance rocks placed there, which pleased her greatly.

One member of Camelford Rocks had placed a rock in Ypres, Belgium, which stated: ‘They shall not grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn’.

The person who found the rock posted to Camelford Rocks with a picture, and said that they had taken it home to the UK and left it to be found at Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire.

To get involved in the Camelford Rocks initiative or to find out more about the rocks, visit Facebook and search ‘Camelford Rocks.’