Plaques for VC winners at Preston Cenotaph to be uprooted after pavement damage

Council staff have cordoned off the area in front of the war memorial as "a hazard" because of crumbling flagstones caused by the icy and wet winter weather.

Stone plaques set into the pavement to honour Victoria Cross heroes Privates William Henry Young and James Towers are undamaged. But Town Hall bosses are now planning to relocate them closer to the monument to protect them over future winters.

"The Cenotaph has been cordoned off as it poses a hazard due to the uneven surface caused by the deterioration of the stone over the winter," said a council spokesperson.

"With this type of stone, the most likely cause of the deterioration is gritting salt. Unfortunately, given the location, this is difficult to avoid. But, as part of reinstatement works, we are assessing ways this could be mitigated in the future.

"To prevent damage to the commemorative stones, it is proposed that these be moved into the main cenotaph space as this has not deteriorated."

The two plaques were installed as part of a Government project begun in 2014 to honour all VC recipients in their hometown as part of the World War 1 Centenary. They were placed one behind the other in the pavement outside the perimeter of the Preston war memorial.

In total there were nine commemorative plaques laid across Lancashire as part of the scheme. The one for Pte Young was put in place in April 2016, with Pte Towers' stone laid in October 2018.

The Cenotaph, unveiled in June 1926 to honour Preston's war dead, underwent a major renovation in 2012 costing £835,000 - mostly paid for by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Yet within months vandals had left its expensive Portland stone badly marked.

In 2009 ornamental bronze railings were stolen from around the memorial, a theft which cost Preston Council £10,000 to put right. And in 2019 teenagers were caught using the Cenotaph as a skate park, causing one former councillor to brand them "disrespectful yobs."

The plaques to both of Preston's VC winners were installed in ceremonies involving civic and military dignitaries.

Pte Young won his medal - the highest award for gallantry - for rescuing his wounded Sergeant from the open under heavy fire. The Preston farm worker was shot twice, one bullet shattering his jaw and the other lodging in his chest. But he still managed to bring the NCO to safety. Pte Young died during one of many operations to repair his jaw, just a week after being hailed a hero by huge crowds on his return to Preston.

Pte Towers, who also has a bypass at Broughton named after him, earned his medal after courageously delivering a vital message to trapped troops, also under withering fire, after five other soldiers had been shot in the attempt.

Preston Council is expected to start replacing the crumbling flag stones in the next few weeks.