THE destruction by vandals of the village war memorial at Mellor is a profanity steeped in blasphemy.

For here is an act which defiles the sacred memory of men who gave their lives for the liberty of others.

And how awfully that that noble deed is repaid by the louts who smashed to pieces the symbol of their sacrifice.

Let them, then, be caught, made to pay in full for this monument's replacement - and afterwards punished hard.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.