TIDWORTH’S first public war memorial will not be ready in time for Armed Forces Day after a key part became “stuck in India”.

The memorial is being built outside the town’s community centre and an unveiling ceremony was due to take place on June 24.

Chairman of the Tidworth War Memorial Committee Daryl Stevenson said: “Unfortunately, some of the granite for the main spire is stuck in India and is not going to arrive in the UK until the day after the proposed opening.

“We are not happy at all. We’re all pretty gutted as we’ve already put an awful lot into organising it.”

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

Despite the hitch, the memorial is taking shape.

“The construction has all started, all the groundwork is done,” said Mr Stevenson.

“We started laying the granite base. The monoliths are ready to be engraved.

“For the most part, with the exception of the central spire, we’re on track. Unfortunately, lots of things have worked against us.

“It is still an absolutely brilliant design. We just want to do it credit.”

Tidworth mayor and Wiltshire councillor Mark Connolly made the first cut into the ground at the end of March, marking the start of work on the memorial.

He said: “Whilst the delay is disappointing and Armed Forces Day would have been perfect for such an occasion, a two-month delay is not the end of the world as we will have a memorial that is as striking as I have seen anywhere.

“The delay may also have an upside in that we may be able to get a military band, all of which were understandably fully booked for Armed Forces Day. We intend to make the unveiling a special day for Tidworth.”

The service and ceremony to open the war memorial is now due to take place on September 2.