Dame Vera Lynn: Memorial statue will not be in Dover

A memorial statue to the late wartime singer Dame Vera Lynn will not be built in Dover, it has been announced.

Dover District Council (DDC) was told Dame Vera's family would move the statue because the location offered was "insufficient" to honour her legacy.

Dame Vera, whose songs helped to raise morale in World War Two, died in 2020 aged 103.

The Dame Vera Lynn Memorial Trust said it was "in discussions to secure a new site".

Trevor Bartlett, leader of DDC, said: "This is of course disappointing but we understand their position and they have thanked us for our interest shown in the project and the assistance we have provided."

The £1.5m statue would have been part of a memorial park to the forces' sweetheart in Dover's Western Heights area, but the council was unsuccessful in a first bid for levelling-up funding to pay for the estimated £26.5m project, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Dame Vera became synonymous with the area due to her 1942 hit song "The White Cliffs of Dover".

A spokesperson for the Dame Vera Lynn Memorial Trust said: "It is with great regret that the trustees must announce a change of site for its landmark statue.

"Unfortunately, the council has confirmed that this project cannot be progressed in the manner originally intended.

"Dover District Council did offer a new home for the memorial statue in close proximity to residential areas, but the trustees felt this was an insufficient place to fully honour Dame Vera's inimitable legacy."

Almost £560,000 of funds had already been raised for the statue and sculptor Paul Day, whose work includes the Battle of Britain Memorial on the London Embankment, had agreed to design and create it.

The project was initially backed by the government and celebrities, including Joanna Lumley.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].