A NEW memorial park could be created on a plot of land at Egglescliffe which cost £5 and was earmarked as a public garden more than 50 years ago.

The plot overlooks Yarm and the River Tees, and was bought by Egglescliffe Parish Council in 1949. The site, known as Egglescliffe bank, is close to Egglescliffe Village war memorial and parish church, and a scenic footpath to Yarm.

Egglescliffe parish clerk Helen Rennison told the D&S Times: "I've spent a fair amount of time carrying out research into this land at the Teesside archives. The parish council bought it in 1949, hoping it would become a rest garden. This is exactly what we want to do with it now.

"It was used as an allotment for probably over 30 years and we were recently trying to get permission from the Government Office for the North-East to turn it into a memorial garden, and extend the memorial area.

"However, we now feel it was never formally classed as an allotment and therefore are withdrawing our application to the Government Office."

Although it was bought within the lifetime of many people, nobody has been able to shed much light on the original purchase. It became an allotment almost by default, Mrs Rennison said.

Reports about the stability of the sloping land are being sought and the council hopes this second attempt to create a garden will be successful.