Horspath World War One memorial stone 'half-baked'

A man who spent four years campaigning for a war memorial in his village has said he is "ashamed" of the finished article.

The 1.8m-high [6ft] stone monument has been installed in Horspath, near Oxford, at a cost of £15,500.

Keith Brooks said: "I'm very disappointed with it and I'm ashamed I ever suggested it in the first place [because of] how it's turned out."

Horspath Parish Council said it would look "outstanding".

The stone monument has been installed in Horspath at a cost of £15,500

The memorial has been installed on the village green and will be officially unveiled on the centenary of Armistice Day.

Peter Dobson, chairman of the council, called it an "entirely appropriate memorial, thoughtfully designed to be in keeping with its location - a village green with trees, dappled sunlight and a local stone wall behind to commemorate those lost during the wars".

The memorial is currently covered up ahead of its unveiling on Armistice Day

But Mr Brooks, whose grandfather Edward Brooks won a Victoria Cross for bravery, called it an "unprofessional job" with "big pieces missing" and described the finish as half-completed.

He added: "I always thought anything there would be better than nothing, but now I'm not quite so sure. Maybe I should've kept my ideas to myself.

"Those men whose names are on it, they gave everything they had for other people. We should respect that and show a proper tribute to them, not a half-baked job."

Keith Brooks feels the memorial is "half-baked"

In a statement the council said it was "disappointed" that Mr Brooks was unhappy with the quality of the memorial.

It added: "The memorial stone is in its raw state but will look outstanding following exposure to the elements.

"The sub-committee were pleased to work with the sculptor whose vision was to have a stone that showed character and built-in features reflecting village history."