FORGOTTEN war memorials which were kept in a church cellar for up to 60 years are set to see the light of day again later this year.

Rita Hayes, who is a member of Trinity Methodist Church in Clitheroe, set out to raise £1,000 last year to restore the 12 memorials which had been stored out of sight at the church.

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The memorials, which include around 100 names, date from the First World War with one listing names from the Second Boer War.

They were placed in the church’s cellar over the last 60 years after several Methodist churches in the town closed down but were removed shortly before a £400,000 refurbishment of the church.

The wooden, marble, paper and brass memorials came from Mount Zion, Union Street, Nelson Street, Waterloo in Kendle Street and also from the Emporium.

The 68-year-old, who has been a member of the church since 2000, has now had 10 of the memorials refurbished with the last two expected to be completed in the coming weeks.

The retired midwife, who lives in Highfield Road, said that a final decision on where they would be housed in the future is still to be worked out with the church council.

The mum-of-two and grandmother-of-three said: “I’m really pleased with how this project has worked out and I have ended up with more money that what I was originally looking for.

“People have been really generous and the companies that I have asked to carry out the work have all done it at a discounted price which is great and I thank them for that and their generosity.

“It’s really important that this work was carried out because of what these memorials stand for.

“It would have been a shame if they were to have been lost and I’m glad that I have been able to do something about it.

“I’m delighted that the project has managed to get this far and I just hope that a final decision on where they will be housed will be made soon.”

Cllr Simon O’Rourke, who is a member of Clitheroe Town Council, is delighted with the work and hopes that it will boost the town and attract more visitors.

He said: “It’s important to everybody in the town that things like this are done.

“Once they are all finished and a home is found they will probably attract more people to come and look at them.

“Memories live on and there will be somebody somewhere who is related to the men who are on these memorials.”