Concern over monument

Due to the Royal Artillery Tercentenary parade on May 18, along with members of five STA Regiment Royal Artillery, I visited Heugh Gun Battery to lay out the parade.

I also visited the Hartlepool Bombardment monument and Sabastabol gun, intending to show these with great pride accompanied by our military guests.

What a let-down!

The monument has weeds growing out of the flag stones which, after only one year, should not have been there.

This shows the lack of standard of that particular build.

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Three of the four plaques on the monument have weathered so badly that it is only with great effort that any detail can be seen at all.

The gun itself, which is not only a part of local history but of national history too, is in a very poor condition.

There is rust everywhere and, considering the thickness of the paint layers, would indicate total lack of maintenance on this artefact.

The elevation/depression screw is almost rotted away.

This was especially noticeable having been a gunner for many years and accompanied by serving gunners, who also voiced their disappointment.

It is no good Hartlepool Borough Council obtaining these items and not maintaining them so as to ensure that future generations can see them.

Tug Wilson,

Macaulay Road,

Hartlepool.