THE co-ordinator of a project documenting and recording the Valley’s fallen of the First World War has announced how a £10,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant will be used.

Operation War Graves 100 is being run by Rossendale-based military charity Veterans in Communities and will coincide with the 100th anniversary of Britain declaring war on Germany.

Andrea Goodall, the charity’s Project Co-ordinator, said: “The project is starting in Bacup Cemetery and we have already carried out an assessment and we were surprised at how many veterans’ graves had missing headstones.

“We will be working with the council to try to identify any living relatives to get permission to mark the graves properly and are working with local stonemason Chiselhursts. We have also been working with Wendy Lord of Bacup Natural History Society.

“She has written the book on the fallen who are remembered in Bacup Cemetery called Where Heroes Rest.”

The charity will be working with community groups and schools to deliver talks about the stories of those who fought in the war and those who returned.

Anyone who knows personal stories from First World War soldiers is asked to call Project Leader Peter Webster on 01706 871730.