A BENCH to commemorate the centenary of the First World War is to be purchased by Holsworthy Town Council — funding for it has come from a donation made by the town’s Royal British Legion branch.

There are hopes that a second bench will be purchased at a later date to commemorate the end of the war in 1918. The RBL hopes to have the bench placed in the churchyard after David Ogilvie Engineering Ltd has made it to their design. It will incorporate a steel structure depicting red painted poppies and a scene of soldiers carrying bayonets with their heads bowed moving along the line.

A concrete base will need to be put in place before the bench can be installed — with the hope that the memorial structure can be installed before November 11, if not it will be placed on display for the public to view.

l A bench in Holsworthy’s Badock Gardens was moved from its site and vandalised, town councillors heard at their meeting last week.

Mayor Cllr John Allen said the bench appeared to have been jumped on and substantial damage had been caused to it.

The council is to discuss buying a replacement bench, estimated to cost around £800.