THE community has rallied together to spruce up a memorial bench in Athersley South.

The bench, a memorial for the Barnsley Branch of the Yorkshire Regiment Association, was situated on Laithes Lane had become rusty and unusable.

Coun Neil Wright, who represents the St Helen’s ward, decided to ask local companies to help reinstall the bench in a better state.

He told the Chronicle: “I approached Dewies given they were a local business with experience in this particular sector of work.

“Dewies kindly started work but advised us the bench back was in such a bad state that it would require sandblasting before any restoration work could be completed.

“As a result I was advised to approach LCS Powder Coatings Ltd to ask for their assistance in getting the bench sandblasted.

“LCS kindly sandblasted the bench and also primed the bench so this level of deterioration could not happen again.

“Once this was complete the bench went back to Dewies for spraying and restoring to its original colours.

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“All this work by both Dewies and LCS was done for the community.”

The bench is now proudly placed outside the Poundstretchers store on Laithes Lane.