A MEMORIAL bench made in memory of a man from Poole who died of pneumonia has been removed from its location on the viewing mound at Turlin Moor recreation ground, after a notice from Lytchett Minster and Upton Town Council.

To mark the passing of Ian Heron, who died two weeks before his 35th birthday, his daughters Khalan, 14, and Kara, 13, decided to make a wooden bench with flower pots in his memory to be put at one of his favourite spots, overlooking Lytchett Bay.

However, less than a week after the bench was put in place, the family received a letter from Lytchett Minster and Upton Town Council as they had not obtained permission from the council.

Laura Given, Khalan and Kara’s mother said: “The girls had gone up to Scotland with me so they didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to him.

“It has really affected us all, but my youngest daughter Kara is really struggling to come to terms with it.

“So they thought it would be a nice idea to have a bench made for him as somewhere they can go to sit and remember him.”

With the help of Laura, who is a carpenter, the teenagers made two wooden flowerpots and then used three pieces of wood to form the bench. A burning iron was used to add the inscription.

Having put the bench in place last week and receiving compliments from numerous visitors on their handiwork, Lytchett Minster and Upton Town Council issued a notice for the bench to be removed.

Laura, who lives across the field from the recreation ground said: “We went back a few times during the week, and everyone said it was lovely.

“Around a week later, I saw the notice which was attached to the bin next to it which said that we had to call the council, or they were going to remove it.”

Lytchett Minster and Upton Town Council have said that the decision to remove the bench was due to previous vandalism in the park and the fact they were not consulted beforehand.

Town clerk Karen Cane said: “Clearly it is very sad when a loved one passes away, and we understand why they might like to remember their father in this way; however, we are entrusted with management of the site.

“This viewing mound was only ever intended as a viewing platform, with the town council deciding at the time of installation not to site a bench there.”