Significant restoration and repair works are due to be carried out to a war memorial in the Outer Hebrides, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has announced.

A £132,000 grant has been awarded from the War Memorial Trust’s First World War Memorials Programme towards the project which, together with £100,000 provided by the Comhairle, will allow restoration works to be carried out to the Lewis War Memorial.

Simpson and Brown Conservation Architects have been appointed to prepare and co-ordinate the pre-contract and tender process.

Flemings Masonry Contractors have been selected as the main contractor.

External works include stonework pointing, stone replacement where necessary, replacement of 15 slim windows with new louvres and refurbishment of four windows on the fourth floor.

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Three overhanging turrets and the turret steps will also be restored, while the entrance door ceiling and slit windows will all be refurbished.

Internally, existing secondary material will be removed to expose the inner rubble stone surfaces to walls.

On conclusion of the project, scaffolding will be left for a number of months to allow for further inspection.

Cllr Norman A MacDonald said: "The Lewis War Memorial has been one of the most iconic buildings in our islands since it was opened on Friday 24th September 1924.

"Due to its prominent unsheltered spot on the top of Cnoc-nan-uan, the building has suffered damage to its stonework over the years, due to the Lewis weather. It is very important that we maintain such buildings, which are a constant reminder to us all of the sacrifices made by so many islanders and I am very pleased to see that the Comhairle has been awarded a grant to carry out necessary restoration works."

Works are due to begin in April, with the project expected to take most of the summer to complete.

(LM)