A PLAN to improve a church garden memorial to the Accrington Pals is in the pipeline.

An upgrade of the Pals memorial behind St James Church on Church Street, Accrington, would see steps leading up to the memorial constructed, together with a hand rail, where currently there is a only a steep walled embankment.

Milnshaw ward Councillor Malcolm Pritchard is putting the idea to area councillors following complaints from elderly visitors.

They said they were unable to reach the memorial to place flowers on it without first climbing the church steps some yards away and walking along the embankment.

Coun Pritchard said that if the works were approved, that plans would be completed by July, long before this year’s remembrance services.

He said: “It is very very steep and though someone who is a bit younger might think nothing of it I have had a lot of complaints from older people who are fed up of having to climb the steps to the church and walk along the embankment.

“It would be a lot more dignified, if proper steps were provided so people could simply walk up to it, and pay their respects.

“One lady in particular, who is in her eighties, goes very often to the memorial to lay flowers and she says she finds it very difficult having to walk around the long way to reach it.

“Hopefully with the addition of some steps we can make it easier for our senior citizens to visit the memorial.”

Coun Pritchard, who is still awaiting costings for the plan, hopes to raise the issue at the next East Accrington Area Management Board.

Historian Walter Holmes, who spent decades researching the Accrington Pals with the late Bill Turner, said: “I wasn’t aware that some people were having difficulty at the memorial but any improvement encouraging people to come along is welcome.

“Very few people even know it is there. Aside from the new steps, a bit more publicity for it would be very welcome.”