A NEW memorial to the 1,300 men and women of a town who lost their lives in World War One is proving a major attraction for visitors.

The ten specially-made black granite plaques telling the real life and death stories of some of the men and women from Darwen who served their country during the 1914/1918 conflict has seen a stream of people paying their respects.

Mounted on a wall in the town's cemetery designed to resemble the inner face of a typical trench from the war, the sombre stones have touched the hearts of many people.

The memorial was unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire Lord Shuttleworth on Sunday July 1, the 102nd anniversary of the first day of the bloody 1916 Battle Of the Somme in which many of the 1,300 Darreners lost their lives.

More than 500 people (including schoolchildren, members of the armed forces in uniform and representatives of The Royal British Legion charity) turned out for the occasion.

John East, chairman of the Friends of Darwen Cemetery which organised and designed the memorial, said: "A steady stream of people have been going up the the new memorial since it was unveiled.

"I live near the cemetery and every time I walk the dog up there, there is somebody looking at it.

"They say things like 'spectacular', 'wonderful' and 'moving'.

"It is now ready for school trips to starting come to visit after the summer holidays.

"The memorial has proved everything we had hoped it would be.

"It is a fitting and touching tribute to the sacrifice of the 1,300 Darreners who lost their lives in World War One.

"This was about 14 per cent of 9,000 who enlisted to fight.

"This was a huge proportion of the volunteers and indeed the population of the town.

"This unique Memorial is perhaps the only new World War One memorial in the Blackburn with Darwen area, if not Lancashire, that depicts the actual impact of the loss of life: the impact not just on the service personnel who died but on their families and the town they left behind.

"More than 500 people attended the unveiling including many schoolchildren, members of the armed forces and representatives of the Royal British Legion.

"It was a fine and well-attended event sitting to the occasion and the 102nd anniversary of the started of the Battle of the Somme in which so many lost their lives.

"The people of Darwen know how to remember their fallen heroes."

Mr East said that the special booklet ' Darwen Remembered 1914-1918: More than just names in Stone' was till available from Darwen Heritage Centre and the The Friends Of Darwen Cemetery website.

It gives details of every one of the more than 70 soldiers who lost their lives in action and are buried in Commonwealth War Graves in Darwen Western Cemetery.

The Memorial has been designed and built by Brent Stevenson Memorials, Darwen Terracotta and other local firms and specialist workmen.

The President of The Friends Of Darwen Cemetery, retired Colonel Steve Davies, said: "As an Army Veteran and proud Darrener this memorial does us proud in remembering the large sacrifice made by the people of Darwen over 100 years ago."

There is a linked exhibition at the Darwen Heritage Centre to complement the new memorial.