A TOWN'S long-awaited new war memorial has been unveiled after a three-year fund-raising campaign.

The new monument has been built in Chester-le-Street’s Market Place on the site of the now-demolished Civic Arch that was created as part of a revamp of the area.

The red granite carved tribute will be the focal point for the town’s Remembrance commemorations on Sunday, November 9, in the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.

It carries the names of more than 400 war dead who do not appear on other memorials on the district.

For years people have complained about the suitability of the small black obelisk opposite St Mary and St Cuthbert’s Parish Church that has served as the town’s memorial for more than a quarter of a century and has no names on it,

The Chester-le-Street and District War Memorial Group was set up in 2011 from the ashes of a previous memorial association and secured funding of about £65,000.

Planning permission was originally won for the monument to be built at Bridge End, opposite the Market Place but the Civic Arch site became available and was selected after public consultation.

War memorial group chairman Jim Carroll, who designed the images on the memorial, said: “It is an honour and a privilege to see the hard work of so many people come to fruition and we now have a fitting tribute to the men and women from the area who died fighting for their country.”

He said the Chester-le-Street Area Action Partnership (AAP) of Durham County Council had provided invaluable assistance in helping the group bring the scheme to fruition, including holding consultation on the site and the design of the memorial.

Some funding came from local councillors’ neighbourhood budgets.

AAP co-ordinator Andrew Megginson said: “This has been a project which has generated a lot of interest and the consultation on the location was very positive.

“It is also good that it has been completed to coincide with commemorations marking 100 years since the start of the First World War.”

The group had hoped to have the project completed in time for the anniversary of day that war started but it was hit by an unexpected hitch.

The group is looking to hold an official dedication at the memorial next May to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe.

It hopes the memorial will help promote the local history and heritage of Chester-le-Street and encourage people to learn more about the sacrifices of those involved in war time conflicts.