Pruning of woodland in the park has got under way – 16 months after the area surrounding the town's memorial was closed due to unsafe pathways.

A total of 105 trees were planted in the gardens in 1926 to honour every man from the town who died in the Great War.

Work on the restoration of the memorial itself, and tackling land slippage at the park – which is expected to take around eight weeks – will then get under way in April.

Kirkham mayor, Coun Liz Oades, is "absolutely delighted" work on the project is getting under way.

She wants to see a Friends of Kirkham Memorial Gardens group set up to protect the future of the park.

Coun Oades said: "It is great that work is finally going to be started on the grounds.

"I think a lot of people in the town will all be pleased.

"We have been very disappointed part of the gardens have been closed for two years."

Plans have been put in place to install commemorative signs to tell people visiting the park about the lasting tribute to the town's soldiers.

But Coun Tim Ashton, cabinet member for Streetscene, says any dangerous trees in the gardens will be removed to improve the area.

He said: "This is a project we are approaching with great respect.

"The difficulty is we do not have a record of exactly which trees were planted as part of this tribute.

"There are 65 lime trees which we would suggest were part of the planting.

"Some of the trees may have fallen down over the years and, however you look at it, the current site is dark and oppressive, far from a fitting tribute to fallen heroes of the borough.

"Overgrown trees will be pruned and dangerous ones removed."

Work is set to get under way on a new play area at the nearby Barnfield all-weather pitch in May.

Lottery funding of £75,000 has been secured to build the "teen zone" area which aims to combat the lack of teenage facilities in the area.