ELDERLY veterans will soon be able to pay their respects to those who lost their lives in conflict after plans for a new disabled ramp at Farnworth war memorial were approved.

Bolton Council has agreed to install a new ramp up to the war memorial in Farnworth Park with hopes that the work will be completed in time for the services commemorating the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.

In recent years former soldiers who cannot climb the steps have had to stand apart from the memorial at the annual Remembrance Sunday events.

President of the Farnworth and Kearsley Royal British Legion, Cllr Noel Spencer, said the changes will mean more people can now visit the war memorial.

He added: “It’s a problem that we have had for a number of years.

“Because of the ages of the veterans, we’ve had to shorten and alter the route we take for the procession on Remem-brance Sunday, and because of the layout and the steps the elderly veterans have found it very difficult to get to the back of the memorial where they stand with the standards.

"Farnworth has always had a really good turn out on Remembrance Sunday, and we thought that if we could get a ramp, or some volunteers to help veterans, it would be very helpful.”

On the base of the memorial, which is set in a Garden of Remembrance, are bronze plaques with the names of Bolton soldiers who died fighting for their country.

The cost of the ramp will be split with money from Farnworth’s area forum budget and funding from neighbourhood services at Bolton Council.