Thoughts are being sought on a new war memorial in Upchurch.

Philip Newbery and Mike Gunnill, who both live in the village, came up with the idea while chatting over a pint in The Crown Pub two months ago.

While there is a plaque inside St Mary’s Church bearing the names of the people from the village who lost their lives during the First World War, the two men say they’d like to see one erected in the centre of the village.

They envisage the memorial being about six to seven feet tall but are unsure about the design or where it would be located. It’s estimated it will cost in the region of £6,000 with the money coming from fundraising events, donations and grants.

Mr Newbery, who runs the Suffield bed and breakfast, The Street, said: "We do have the plaque but it’s in the church so you can’t see it when you drive through the village. We hold a big Armistice day service in the village so it would be nice to have something to focus it on."

Mr Gunnill, of Woodruff Close, is in contact with David Hughes, from Ashford, who has spent the last 50 years helping a number of Kentish villages record their war dead.

Mr Newbery added: "We’re waiting on him to come back to us with a definitive list of names of those who died but he won’t release those to us until he’s absolutely certain everyone is on there."

Once they receive the list it will go up on the village website ‘Upchurch Matters’ for residents to see.

Mr Newbery added: "That way if anyone knows something we don’t we can get it sorted. It would be a disaster if we did it and it was wrong.

"This isn’t going to happen over night. We’re taking it one step at a time.

"If we get enough support we will hold a public meeting so people can discuss what’s the best way forward.

"We won’t start fundraising until people decide it’s a good idea."

Anyone with any comments about the memorial are asked to email mikegunnill@mac.com. For more information visit www.upchurchmatters.co.uk/