REMEMBRANCE projects at Bacup Cemetery and Whitworth Memorial Gardens have been completed in time for the Armistice commemoration.

Haslingden-based charity Veterans In Communities has worked with a number of local groups including Lancashire Community Payback, the Prince’s Trust and local Beavers and Cubs to complete the various schemes.

In Whitworth, a dry stone wall behind the Memorial Gardens was rebuilt, a willow tank and soldier planted in Whitworth and countless poppies sewn.

For project War Graves 100 in Bacup Cemetery – where many of the headstones of First World War soldiers had disappeared and were no longer visible – each grave was given a new headstone.

Some of the soldiers buried and remembered in Bacup had never had a proper gravestone, just a keystone with their initials and plot number.

“Over the years most of these stones had been hidden under overgrowing grass.

Peter Webster, project co-ordinator and a former military musician, said: “I thought I learnt a lot of history in school, but carrying out this project I have learn more about the First World War than I ever knew.

“I feel I have personally got to know every one of the 119 soldiers we have remembered.

“It has also been an emotional rollercoaster ride.”

The project began with a list from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission of soldiers who fought in the First World War and who were buried or remembered in Bacup Cemetery.

Peter used this, along with maps provided by Rossendale Council and information provided by Wendy Lord of Bacup National History Society, to locate the graves or keystones.

A total of 119 have been identified.

He said: “I am delighted to have got this part of the Heritage Lottery funded project finished for Armistice Day.

“I am very grateful to everyone who has helped along the way.

“Each of the stones has now had poppy seeds sewn around the base and because the seeds only flower once every two years, we will return in March to sow more seeds.

“Hopefully that will mean there will always poppies blooming.”