FAMILIES whose relatives are remembered at Newton Cemetery are being asked to come forward to ensure that the memory of their loved ones will not fade away.

A Wall of Remembrance bearing the names of hundreds of people who were cremated is to be demolished and rebuilt in a £28,000 scheme to rescue the wall from subsidence.

But many of the memorial plaques on the dilapidated wall are now so faded they are illegible.

Now, council chiefs are giving families a unique opportunity to have them re-inscribed.

A council spokeswoman said: "Many of these plaques are so worn they can't be read and records don't go back far enough to account for them all. A number of stones on the new wall will be left blank so that families who can lay claim to having had a plaque there can have their relatives' names re-inscribed."

Newton East councillor Suzanne Knight said: "This wall is a very special place for the families of people who have been cremated. It's somewhere they can go to pay their respects and lay flowers.

"Detailed photographs of the wall will be taken before it is demolished and it will be restored exactly as it was."

The cemetery will be closed to visitors during the work but special provision is being made for families who wish to commemorate the anniversary of a loved one's death. Relatives who want to pay their respects can arrange to meet a council officer at the cemetery, who will admit them to the garden.

Added Clr Knight: "This work has been needed for a long time and I'm sure that the families will be very pleased when it is finished."

Anyone with any concerns is encouraged to contact Dominic Alexander on 01744 454379.

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