Christine ButlerBBC News Cornwall

BBC Woman with short mousey brown hair holding a pebble painted white with black silhouette of a soldier standing next to a grave. The woman is smiling at the camera and wearing a pink scarf around her neck and a green coat. — Jane Michie holds a repainted pebble her late husband originally painted seven years ago

The restoration of a memorial created from painted pebbles in tribute to soldiers who died in World War One is nearing completion.

The 141 pebbles which make up the Saltash Pebble Memorial represent all 140 soldiers from the Cornwall town who died during World War One, with the extra pebble for those soldiers whose names were never recorded.

Saltash Great War Committee said the pebbles were removed in September to be repainted in the hope they could be relaid in time for Remembrance Sunday. But bad weather has delayed the work.

Former committee member Sue Hooper said: “Sadly we have had all this rain and there’s more forecast and we have to take into consideration the setting of the resin.”

Some of the hand-painted pebbles that have been re-painted after they were bleached by the sun

Ten pebbles painted in black and white, blue, red and white, black and pink and a red and pink poppy. Five of the pebbles depict the silhouette of a soldier. One has a warship, another a cross. There is also one depicting an airplane. — Some of the hand-painted pebbles that have been re-painted after they were bleached by the sun

All the pebbles were painted by local people seven years ago as a way to remember those who died in the war.

But they have faded over time and were removed to be repainted by local artist David Whitley. He said all he had to go on was photographs of the original pebbles.

“A lot of the image had gone completely,” said Mr Whitley.

“The photographs were really good but the colours could sometimes be a bit confusing.

Artist David Whitley said it was a pleasure to restore the pebbles

Older man wearing glasses smiling. He has a blue shirt, jumper and jacket on and has a poppy attached to his jumper. — Artist David Whitley said it was a pleasure to restore the pebbles

“The biggest challenge I had was making them as close as I possibly could to the original.”

Jane Michie’s late husband John was one of the many people who designed a pebble for the memorial and she said she was pleased with the way it has been repainted.

“Its a very special place for me, I do come down here and spend a little quiet time here,” she said.

The pebble memorial has been recognised as an official Saltash Town Council War Memorial and acknowledged annually with a floral tribute during the Civic Remembrance Service.

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