War memorial revamp '˜almost complete'

The statue of St George was leaning due to the rusting of the iron straps which hold it in place.

It has now been conserved and re-positioned – as part of a £12,500 revamp.

A council spokesman said: “It took three people to remove the statue from the top of the memorial for essential maintenance.

“The statue was leaning due to the rusting of the iron straps which hold it in place.

“The statue has now been conserved and re-positioned on top of the column.

“The commemoration name plaques have been cleaned and the structure will be protected with smart water.

“The gates to the memorial garden have also been be replaced with a pair of identical oak gates.”

The council put in £3,000 for the renovation works and 75 per cent of the funds came from the War Memorials Trust.

War Memorials Trust is a charity that works for the protection and conservation of war memorials across the UK.

The trust ensures each and every memorial is ‘preserved’.

The war memorial in Burgess Hill was designed by Walter Ernest Tower, born in Earl Shilton, in Leicestershire, in 1873.