Pupils at Ripplevale School have been heralded as knights in shining armour for volunteering to maintain a Burma Star Association war memorial in Deal.

The description came from John Hood, secretary of the Deal, Dover and district branch of the association, who is relieved the monument will now be kept up to standard.

It was a chance conversation that led the pupils taking on the upkeep of the memorial opposite Deal Castle paddock.

Bill Breeze, also from the Deal and Dover branch, mentioned to Rosemary Schofield, the mother of the Ripplevale principal, that it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the memorial garden to the usual high standard.

He said most of the members were now in their 90s or rapidly approaching that decade.

Principal Ted Schofield said: “I mentioned this to a few of the boys and they suggested that the school should ask if it would be possible for them to take on this responsibility.

“This started in June of this year and the boys have enthusiastically taken on this role."