DELIGHTED members of a Hollinfare community group thanked the council planning committee after they granted permission for a war memorial to be lit up.

The Shine the Light group have been fundraising to buy lights which will illuminate the monument at the junction of Dam Lane and School Lane.

The sandstone memorial is grade II listed and dates back to around 1920, when it was built to commemorate the men of Hollinfare who lost their lives in the First World War and later, the Second World War.

The names of 15 residents who fought for their country are inscribed on the plinth.

A community group dedicated to commemorating fallen soldiers submitted the plans to enhance the monument with ‘elegant’ up-lighting and the parish council is supporting the scheme.

The memorial sits on a traffic island and officials from the council raised concerns that debris could fall from the lights due to vehicles constantly driving past, leading to an accident.

But permission for the project was unanimously granted at a planning meeting last Wednesday, April 26.

Members of the group thanked councillors at the town hall and Sharon Piggin, from the Shine the Light group, said: “We were delighted to received planning permission.

“The group can now continue with their project to gently uplight the War Memorial in Hollins Green by installing four ground level drive-over lights within the highway surrounding the memorial.

“These lights will gently illuminate the war memorial during the hours of darkness and will be installed as part of the commemoration of the centenary of the end of the First World War.

“The group have already raised over £2,000 for this project and will be continuing to fundraise.”

The group’s next event is a talk about the history of the Burma railway by Keith Thompson at Hamilton Davies House in Cadishead on June 15 at 7.30pm, with tickets costing £3.

The group will also have a stall at Rixton-with-Glazebrook Carnival on June 24.

For more information or to buy a ticket call Sharon on 07584497183.