'Fingers crossed' damaged memorial can be repaired

Hopes have been raised that a war memorial badly damaged by a car can be repaired.

Police were called to Maulden, Bedfordshire, at 03:20 BST on Saturday after the village memorial was hit.

Tracey Bearton, clerk at Maulden Parish Council, said a stonemason had now inspected the damage to the 1920s structure, made from Cornish granite.

"There's some nasty chips out of one side of the column, but he thinks he can polish that out. Fingers crossed we don't actually have to replace it," she said.

She said the names on the memorial "don't look damaged", but she admitted "it's going to take some work".

Concrete around the base was also damaged and will have to be replaced.

Ms Bearton said although the work would cost "an awful lot of money" the memorial, which cost about £411 in 1920, had been insured.

During the damage inspection it was discovered nothing was fixing it in place. Any restoration will involve installing steel rods.

Gary Jones, who lives opposite, said he was woken by a "hell of a bang".

He recalled: "I looked outside and saw a silver car on its passenger side and the memorial laying on its side.

"Four people climbed out of the driver's door, one ran off straight away, the other three hung about laughing, trying to get into the car to get belongings.

"They only ran off when another resident came over to check on them."

Bedfordshire Police has asked anyone with information to get in touch.

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