YORK’S MPs have strongly backed the appeal to create a memorial to soldiers from the city who have been killed in Afghanistan.

Hugh Bayley, the Labour MP for York Central, said it would ensure that soldiers’ difficult and dangerous work was remembered for all time.

Julian Sturdy, the Conservative MP for York Outer, said it was “fantastic” that the bravery and ultimate sacrifice by York soldiers should be recognised.

The City of York Afghanistan Memorial Appeal, launched last Saturday, aims to raise £200,000 to fund a new permanent memorial in the city centre. It has already received £1,000 from The Press and cheques from readers are arriving daily.

The project has the backing of the families of the three York servicemen who have died in Afghanistan.

Mr Bayley said he had been to Afghanistan twice, once as chairman of the economics committee of the NATO Parliament and once as a member of the International Development Select Committee, and had seen what soldiers had been doing to protect the people from Taliban attacks and help them rebuild their country. “I strongly support the appeal,” he said. “It’s a very difficult and dangerous job and it is excellent that their work should be honoured and remembered for all times. I congratulate The Press on launching this campaign and will do everything I can to support it.”

Mr Sturdy said: “I welcome the appeal. It’s a fantastic idea. It’s very important that the bravery and ultimate sacrifice by York soldiers should be recognised, and I think a permanent memorial in the city is a fantastic way of doing this.”

• To donate to the appeal, you can send cheques payable to The City of York Afghanistan Memorial Appeal to Mike Laycock, The Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.