PLANS have now been submitted for Tidworth's war memorial.

It will be erected at Tidworth Community Centre in Wylye Road on land at the corner of Ordnance Road and the A338.

Despite the town's close links with the Army there is not a public war memorial in the town.

Tidworth War Memorial Committee was set up 18-months ago to push the project forward and to fundraise.

Committee vice-chairman Daryl Stevenson said: "It is absolutely fantastic to get to this stage. There has been a lot of hard work coming to the final design and getting something that we are really proud of."

The cost of the memorial project is about £130,000 and Mr Stevenson says the committee is "well on the way to achieving that". About £20,000 still needs to be raised.

Fundraising grants have included £5,000 from Tidworth Area Board.

The memorial will be made up of black and grey granite monoliths featuring engravings of the town's history from the First World War up to modern day.

The committee have involved local schools in the area by asking the children to take part in a competition to come up with their own designs to go on the memorial's monoliths.

It is proposed that solar powered lighting will be used to illuminate the memorial. This would be on a predetermined timed system.

It is hoped the memorial, if given the go-ahead, will be in place ready for remembrance commemorations this year.

Mr Stevenson said: "It will be a central point for the town and will also bring together the civil and military communities. Ultimately, it will be a single place where everyone can go to reflect and remember."

Anyone wishing to get involved with the project or help fundraise is asked to get in touch with the committee via the Tidworth Memorial Facebook page or email tidworthwarmemorial@gmail.com