THE sacrifice of members of the Rifles regiment lost on active service in Afghanistan could be commemorated in Shaftesbury if plans for a new war memorial are successful.

Town mayor Cllr Lester Dibben hopes to record the memory of Rifleman Phil Allen from Verwood and Johnny Allott from Bournemouth in a new memorial with a garden planned for the giant Persimmon Homes development.

Mr Dibben, who granted the freedom of Shaftesbury to the Rifles last year, said a new memorial would help to link the old town with the new development.

“We want to bring the two halves of the town together, and to do so by giving as many reasons as possible for people to visit either section of the town,” he said.

The mayor called on Shaftesbury people to “take ownership” of the project, and said he hoped to work with schools, the Shaftesbury Civic Society, and the town’s branch of the Royal British Legion to develop the memorial.

A display of three stones is envisaged, with an “imposing” central stone about eight feet high dedicated to members of the Rifles lost in Afghanistan.

Fallen members of the Devon and Dorsets lost in conflicts in Iraq, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands and Northern Ireland could be recorded on a second stone, said the mayor.

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes said the company had discussed the potential for a memorial at the development, but hoped to complete work on the housing before moving on to a memorial.

A fundraising campaign to raise the estimated £5,000 needed to build the garden has begun.

Cheques can be made payable to the mayor’s charities, or cash donations can be made at Shaftesbury Town Hall.

Work is also scheduled to improve the existing memorial at Park Walk with the Shaftesbury Royal British Legion hoping to add a walled garden by Remembrance Sunday.

For more information, call Shaftesbury Town Council on 01747 852420.