MORE than 3,000 former patients of Prestwich Hospital will be given a lasting memorial.

Prestwich area board has agreed to contribute to the cost of a memorial stone that will feature engraved faces and text to remember the forgotten patients buried at St Mary's Church.

Earlier this year St Mary's Action Group discovered that thousands of patients from the hospital had been buried in an unmarked grave over the past 150 years.

The group has been in contact with the current bosses at the hospital, Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust, who have committed their support to the project.

They also applied to the area board for a kick start grant to cover half the £4,240 cost.

Board members have recommended their application be approved at a meeting on Monday. It will be a kickstart special.

Other applications include grants for 8th(Prestwich) Our Lady of Grace Brownies, Prestwich Heritage Society and Milton Road Residents Association.