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Details of an ambitious project to mark the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of Haverhill's war memorial and to honour the town's war dead were unveiled to Haverhill Town Councillors last night (Tuesday).

Haverhill Family History Group and Haverhill Local History Group have joined forces to lead the project, in which they want to involve as many town groups and organisations as possible.

It would culminate in a two-day event on the theme of Remembrance on October 29 and 30 next year, the 90th anniversary of the war memorial.

Haverhill Town Council's community first committee agreed to a grant of £1,850 towards the event, and the organisers hope to secure another £1,350 from St Edmundsbury Council. Town businesses would also be approached for support.

Among the strands within the project, explained to members by Alan Bumpstead of the family history group, are displays and performances at Haverhill Arts Centre throughout the two days, and a roll of honour book with a page about each of the town's First World War dead.

Each of the 144 names on the memorial would be researched by the family history group. Mr Bumpstead said the focus this tiome was on the First World War, but at a later stage the same might be done for the 44 dead from the Second World War.

To draw attention to the event, one idea was that three of the names would be read out every hour, accompanied by a ringing of the old cemetery bell, which would be brought out of storage by the local history group.

Also marching bands or military vehicles might be used in the street to lead people to the event, where entrance would be free and any proceeds from programmes would be for the Poppy Appeal.

One of the first tasks the project faced would be researching the stories behind the names and trying to contact living relatives and trace at least one photograph of each.

Cllr Mary Martin welcomed the 'admirable project', which the council should be honoured and pleased to support.

"The sum involved is very small for what it is goinhg to achieve and it will raise the profile of the town as well," she said.

Committee chairman Paul McManus said: "This is peanuts for what it will do. The sooner we get it up and running the better."