OFFICE buildings will disappear behind a huge banner commemorating the Accrington Pals, it has been revealed.

The 7.5m by 65m banner will wrap around the Broadway Offices building, above shops such as Greggs, British Heart Foundation, and Nationwide.

The purpose of the decoration would be to ‘hide the facade of the council offices ... until a decision is made as to their future, and secondly to commemorate the Accrington Pals throughout the upcoming national commemoration of the First World War,’ council documents said.

The banner would feature several shots of soldiers from the regiment, formally known as the 11th East Lancashire Regiment, posing, sitting and marching, accompanied by large images of the Union Jack, and poppies.

The words ‘spectamur agendo’, a Latin motto which means ‘let us be judged by our acts’, will be printed alongside the words, ‘judge us by our deeds’.

Council leader Miles Parkinson, who is also chairman of the Accrington Pals Centenary Commemorations Group, said they hoped to have the banner installed before February 16.

He said: “This is a culmination of a lot of hard work by volunteers who have dedicated their time and energy, not only this year but over previous years.

“The commemorations will last from 2014 until 2018. This is part of also trying to do something with the Broadway building, and we will be looking at what we will do when the wrap comes down. We have had many complaints about the present building, and how it looks.”

Despite the Pals being commonly known as the ‘Accy Pals’, principal planning officer at Hyndburn Council, Lauren Ingham, said ‘Accrington Pals’ would be more appropriate.