Dame Vera Lynn statue to be erected at National Memorial Arboretum

A memorial statue to the wartime singer Dame Vera Lynn is set to be erected at the National Memorial Arboretum.

The decision to locate the statue at the site in Staffordshire comes after a campaign to erect it in Dover.

The new monument will be "part of a wider tribute to all wartime performers", a group which campaigns for a memorial for Dame Vera said.

It has been approved "in principle" by the arboretum, the Dame Vera Lynn Memorial Statue committee added.

The body's chairwoman Julie Cushion said: "This memorial will provide much greater accessibility, not only to UK residents but also to international visitors and celebrate the contributions of all wartime performers."

It had been proposed to locate the statue in Dover, but funding could not be raised to build a memorial park to house it on the Western Heights.

One of Dame Vera's most celebrated wartime hits was The White Cliffs of Dover.

Created by artist Paul Day, the statue will feature a 3m (10ft) diameter bronze disc with Dame Vera at its centre, surrounded by scenes of entertainers performing for the Armed Forces.

Virginia Lewis-Jones, Dame Vera's daughter, said she was "absolutely thrilled" at the choice of the National Arboretum, adding her mother would be "delighted to be so close to her beloved boys".

Dame Vera lived in the village of Ditchling, East Sussex, until her death at the age of 103 in 2020.

The arboretum granted "approval in principle" for the memorial, with final approval pending the submission of a full application with additional technical details, the Dame Vera Lynn Memorial Statue committee said in a statement.

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