Memorial to be fixed for service

Work to revamp lettering on Tipton's war memorial will be finished ahead of Sunday's remembrance service, councillors have pledged.

The monument in Victoria Park was at the centre of a council blunder when gold letters were painted over in what was believed to have been a callous vandal attack. Sandwell Council's graffiti team was sent out to scrub it clean, but it later emerged that the painting had been sanctioned by park staff and was an undercoat – but they had not notified the rest of the authority.

Today workmen were nearing completion of the improvement work. Two sides of the memorial are finished and work on the rest is under way.

Tipton councillor Ian Jones, said: "It is looking good at the moment, really bold and clean which is nice after the week we've had with it. It will be ready for the service on Sunday. They have half of it finished already and they are still working at it.

"As for the misunderstanding, I think it is a case of lessons have been learnt."

Sandwell Council issued an apology on Monday. Witnesses had described the scene as heartbreaking with the black paint blanking out the inscriptions.

The council's cabinet member for culture and leisure, Councillor Linda Horton, said that in the future signs would be put up when similar work is carried out to let people know.

The service on Sunday starts at 10.45am and is one of a number in the borough.

There will also be a parade and ceremony at Wednesbury War Memorial in the town's Memorial Gardens in Walsall Street, and ceremonies will also be held at memorials in Oldbury town centre, Dartmouth Park, West Bromwich, Smethwick Council House, and Powke Lane Cemetery at Rowley Regis. All start at 10.45am.