A TOWN'S monument has been officially unveiled to the public after being restored to its former glory.

The 138-year-old Walkden Monument stands in the churchyard at St Paul's Chuch, facing Manchester Road, and has been fully restored by Salford City Council, Urban Vision and Walkden Rotary Club, with the help of local schoolchildren.

Work completed so far has included a new plaque, new fencing and gate and protection of the Monument against weather and pigeons.

The new-look monument was unveiled by the Mayor of Salford, Cllr Bernard Murphy, and the Duke of Sutherland in a short ceremony of dedication yesterday.

Further work to improve it will be carried out by four local high schools.

They aim to recreate four missing figures, originally modelled by local residents of the time, to represent typical working folk - a collier, a craftsman and two mill girls. The figures were stolen from the original monument years ago. The monument was erected in 1868 as an affectionate tribute to the life and works of Harriet Catherine Greville, wife of the Earl of Ellesmere, who had died in 1866. She is buried in the family vault at St Mark's Church in Worsley.

Her family built that church and St Paul's in Walkden, each with infant and junior schools.

Lady Harriet went on to do good work in the area taking women and children out of the coal pits and placing children in school while teaching their mothers new skills.

The monument was positioned at the main Bolton Road crossroads in the town centre when it was erected in 1868, but was moved to its present position 100 years later.

Campaigners hope that in the future it can be moved back to its original site.

Arthur Critchley, Rotary Club secretary, said: "Local people were very angry in 1968 when the monument was moved from its prominent positiion in the centre of the junction of High Street, Bolton Road and Manchester Road.

"We are delighted to now see the monument restored and looking so good."