THE tragic price that St Helens paid as the result of wartime bombing raids is long overdue for public recognition. That's the opinion of a veteran Haresfinch reader who wishes to be identified by initials only (although he provides his full identity as a sign of good faith).

H.C. writes: "In recent editions of the Star, your readers have been recalling the days of the World War Two Blitz. Although St Helens did not suffer on the same scale as our near neighbours, Manchester and Liverpool, there were several fatalties when bombs fell on Farnworth, Morgan, Charles and Talbot streets.

"Perhaps the most poignant of these deaths concerned three teenaged girls from Sutton Leach who lost their lives when a German bomb scored a direct hit on the Manchester Hospital where they were working as nurses."

H.C. also recalls that a least two members of the local Home Guard were killed while on duty -- one of these as the result of an accidental shooting.

"As this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Blitz, perhaps it would be an appropriate time to erect some sort of memorial to those innocent victims of war," says H.C.

He recognises that this would be a rather belated gesture but points out that there are several precendents. "Only last year, the Queen Mother unveiled a monument to the civilians of London who died in the Blitz. A few weeks ago, Prince Philip unveiled a Liverpool monument .

"And several decades after the event, a plaque was erected in the town hall to honour those St Helens men who fought in the Spanish Civil War.

"Huge sums of money have been spent on the refurbishment of Victoria Square," adds H.C. "and it would cost very little to add a small plaque on the war memorial or the town hall, to remind future generations of the price paid by local people in the cause of the freedom we now take for granted."

IT might be interesting to hear the views of our local councillors and heritage promoters on this.