A YORK memorial to men who lost their lives in the Boer War is to be restored to its former glory and then rededicated.

The memorial, which stands on the roundabout at the junction of Tower Street, Skeldergate Bridge and Fishergate, will be restored by members of the Green Howards.

Eddie Conway, a former Warrant Officer with the Green Howards, said he had noticed how the memorial had got into bad repair when he laid a wreath there last November.

He said the memorial, which was unveiled in May 1910, was the Green Howards' only one in York.

A group of fundraisers headed by Mr Conway and retired Colonel, Anthony Gaynor, have collected £1,500 for the restoration of the memorial.

The work should mean all the names on the memorial will be legible and is due to be completed in time for the rededication ceremony on May 6.

Mr Conway said they were also looking into adding the names of Green Howards who had died since the Boer War in the Falklands and Northern Ireland.

There will be a parade through York Minster to the Eye of York on May 6 and later in the afternoon the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Peter Vaughan, will join Brigadier Richard Dannatt, of the Green Howards, to take the salute.

Brigadier Dannatt has served in Kosovo and received the Military Cross for his service in Northern Ireland.

Territorial Army members of the Tyne Tees Regiment, formerly known as the Volunteer Regiment, will be performing the honour guard and Mr Conway will be carrying the standard for the Green Howards' Association, representing retired personnel.

Mr Conway said: "We are over the moon that we have got permission to do it all."

He said he wanted to invite York people to watch the parade, which would take place between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, and the ceremony, at about 5pm.