Special forces appeal started for Arboretum memorial

A fundraising appeal has been started in Herefordshire to commemorate members of the allied special forces.

The Allied Special Forces Association said it needed to raise £25,000 for an oak shelter at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The Hereford-based association said it wanted to provide a focal point of remembrance for the special forces who had served since World War II.

It said no such memorial existed at present.

Association founder and secretary Mike Colton said he hoped the shelter would be built in time for Remembrance Sunday.

Mr Colton said he was confident of meeting the target as £1,200 had already been pledged towards the memorial.

"The plaques tell the story of those who lost their lives and this will be somewhere people can come to relax and reflect on what they have read," he added.