Newspaper readers have helped fund a town’s memorial to all those who have died in combat since 1945.

Veterans in Grantham, Lincolnshire, will gather next month to unveil the £9,000 memorial, paid for by readers of the Grantham Journal.

The weekly paper launched its Post-1945 Memorial campaign, spearheaded by reporter Neil Graham, after being approached by veterans.

Grantham will now be one of the few places in the UK which has a memorial covering conflicts from the immediate post-war years, right up to the ongoing Afghanistan campaign.

Journal managing editor Tim Robinson said: “When the veterans came to us for our support with the campaign we knew it would be something our readers would have close to their hearts.

“Memorials to those who have died since 1945 are still comparatively rare, but we felt this would be something which would affect a great many people and unite them in supporting the project.

“Thanks to the hard work of reporter Neil Graham, the idea will now become a reality. We are all looking forward to the unveiling in September.

“The memorial will become a permanent part of the landscape in Grantham town centre and a permanent reminder of the sacrifice of men and women who have fought for their country since World War Two.”

The memorial will be unveiled at 11am on Sunday 6 September at St Peter’s Hill, Grantham.

A large number of veterans are expected to attend along with their regiments’ standards. A procession along the town’s High Street is also planned.