Last updated at 11:58, Monday, 27 October 2008

WORK will soon be under way on a lasting tribute to the victims of Barrow’s Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak.

TAKING SHAPE: The mayor of Barrow, Councillor Dave Roberts, with a plan of the proposed memorial garden for the victims of the 2002 Legionnaires’ disease outbeak

Seven people died and 172 were infected after deadly bacteria spewed out of the Barrow Borough Council-run Forum 28 in summer 2002.

At a council meeting in July, the mayor, Councillor Dave Roberts, revealed that a plot of land at St George’s Church had been made available for a memorial garden.

The announcement was welcomed by people who lost loved ones in the outbreak.

And on Thursday, Cllr Roberts told the Evening Mail: “Work is going to start within the next couple of weeks and hopefully it will be finished before Christmas.”

There will be a paved area with two benches and between the benches there will be a plaque.

The plaque will overlook a grassed area boarded by a hedge.

In a corner of the grassed area, there will be seven rose bushes, one for each person who died.

Cllr Roberts said the memorial would be consecrated in a service.

And he said of the outbreak: “It’s one of the saddest memories in Barrow’s long history and something which we will live with and remember for a long time.”

The seven people who died were Richard Macaulay, Wendy Millburn, Georgina Somerville, Harriet Low, Elizabeth Dixon, June Miles and Christine Merewood.

The council was later fined £125,000 for breaching health and safety.

Architect Gill Beckingham, of Grange, was found guilty of breaching health and safety and fined £15,000, but she was cleared of manslaughter.

First published at 11:44, Monday, 27 October 2008
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk