Surrey, UK - In September 2011, fourteen bronze tablets cast with 243 names of service war dead were stolen from Carshalton war memorial. Last week, fourteen replacement Portland stone tablets carved with the missing names were unveiled on the war memorial at a public dedication. Stuart Nebbett, a scrap metal dealer from Guildford has offered to foot the £21,000 bill for the stone replacements.

"I think it was a disrespectful act of vandalism and stupidity," Mr Nebbett was reported as saying. "Being a local businessman for 25 years it was a gesture to put something right. I thought I would try and portray scrap metal industry in a better light; not all of us are terrible crooks - the vast majority are legitimate companies. The British Legion are so happy. I had a letter from a service man's family who died saying they were very touched."

A £3,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for September's theft.

[Submitted by a reader - 13 Feb 2012

Surrey Comet: Replacement plaques unveiled for stolen Carshalton war memorial

Story Type:  News

ID: 64565