A £50,000 lottery bid is being put together to pay to inscribe the names of the war dead on a Sandwell memorial.

Wednesbury War Memorial Group wants a permanent tribute to the servicemen from the town who lost their lives in the two world wars.

The existing memorial is believed to be one of the only such memorials in the country not to bear the names of the fallen but the group is planning to carve inscriptions into a granite stone, at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds. An architect has now been chosen with the help of Sandwell Council officers and the authority is set to work on a bid to the Heritage Lottery fund on behalf of the memorial group, which follows a £3,000 feasibility study three years ago.

Plans have also been expanded to include an upgrade of the memorial garden in Walsall Street, to include improved disabled access and railings. Group member John Allen, 67, from Hydes Road, said things were progressing well.

“We have got the architect on board and we will be looking at doing some plans for the remembrance garden because it will be refurbished as well,” he said.

“We’ve got to have consultation with the schools for their involvement as well and we will be doing that in September. It really is moving forward now,” he said.

It was originally thought the engraving alone would cost more than £60,000 but it is now hoped the whole project, including renovating the garden, can be completed for £50,000.

Members of the group are still appealing for cash donations.

Cheques can be sent to The Wednesbury War Memorial Fund, Old Post Office, Holyhead Road, Wednesbury WS10 7DF.

More details can be found on the www. wednesburywarmemorial.org.uk website.