TWO large granite plaques containing the names of all First and Second World War graves in Blackburn Old Cemetery have been installed.

The plaques, donated by Cherry Tree stonemason Brent Stevenson, are positioned either side of the cenotaph in the Whalley Old Road cemetery.

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The project was the culmination of 18 months of research and work in conjunction with the Friends of Blackburn Old Cemetery.

The two plaques, which are positioned in a mirror image to each other, have the names of the First World War dead on the front and the names of those killed in the Second World War are on the back of one of them.

Mr Stevenson, who owns Brent Stevenson Memorials in Preston Old Road, said: "We have worked with the friends group there and have donated two large pieces of granite that records all the names of those buried in the cemetery who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars.

"There was no record of anyone's name anywhere and a lot of the graves are now overgrown.

"We wanted a place where all the names are recorded."

Landscaping works were carried out where the plaques were to be sited to ensure they were in the right place and, because they were so heavy, a crane was used to drop them into place.

Mr Stevenson said without the hard work of the friends group the project would never have happened.

He said: "The friends went through all the cemetery records and picked out the ones that were from the wars.

"This was quite a laborious task to go through them all.

"We have been at this now for more than a year, probably 18 months.

"We work hand in glove with the friends and try to help out where we can.

"We are all interested in making the cemeteries better and more appropriate places to visit."

Mr Stevenson said the friends had helped transform the cemetery since being formed.

He said: "It really has improved over the past two and a half years since they started and that is all down to them.

"They do work very hard."