A MARKET town's war memorial is to be renovated in time for this year's Remembrance Day service.

Barnard Castle Town Council has set aside £4,500 for maintenance work on the town's memorial and it also hopes to obtain grants to help with the work.

A survey carried out by councillors John Blissett and Alan Wilkinson revealed several problems with the First World War memorial in the grounds of the Bowes Museum.

Coun Blissett said: "Our first impressions were that the entrance is uneven and very slippery, with the surrounding area unkempt and covered in moss.

"The lettering is barely distinguishable from a distance, the dais is uneven and the main block is showing a great amount of cracking all round.

"The needle is also showing signs of age, with moss appearing."

The gilded lettering on the town's Second World War memorial is also fading.

It was recommended that the lettering of both memorials is restored and the monument and plinth repointed and evened up.

The council has also agreed to look into the possibility of a maintenance budget for future repair work. A series of meetings are to be held throughout the year to discuss this year's remembrance service.