A RETIRED teacher with an interest in World War I is facing his very own campaign - to track down relatives of soldiers on the Abbey Village war memorial.

Maurice Holliday, 58, was born in Abbey Village and is appealing to Citizen readers who were related to any of the 19 men, or know any of the history surrounding them, so that he can produce a booklet.

But Maurice, who now lives in Preston, is also looking for Abbey Village residents who fought in World War II, the Korean War or the Falklands conflict to include in his booklet.

He said: "I used to play round the memorial when I was a child. But now I've grown up I feel it's a shame that no one knows about these young men.

"I've always had an interest in the World Wars but now I want to put faces to the names and try to write a bit of history about them.

"I have had some degree of luck so far and have managed to trace 11 of the men and have got pictures of three of them. But it would be lovely to know about the rest of them.

"At the moment the site looks a bit neglected and I don't want to see that continue."

But Maurice's prayers have been answered, because one of Withnell parish council's millennium plans is to move the memorial from Abbey Village playing fields, as near to its original spot as possible, outside the meeting rooms attached to Abbey Village County Primary School.

Bernard Golding, clerk of Withnell parish council, said: "We want to restore this memorial back to its former glory.

"The council has earmarked funds for Millennium projects and this is one that thankfully has been given the go-ahead."

Anyone with information should contact Maurice on 01772 615077.

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