A NEW Normandy Memorial could be in place for the next anniversary of the Normandy Landings.

The memorial was targeted by vandals last month for the second time in its history, with fears that the metal sphere, which sits on top of a large plinth, had been stolen.

The sphere has been recovered but Charles Ingle, who, along with his late mum Vera, was instrumental in seeing the fitting tribute created in 2004 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Normandy Landings, was keen for a replacement to be put in place.

The sphere has been damaged and part of it is missing.

Former councillor Mr Ingle said: “In the meantime, I had written to the Provost, Councillor Ludovic Broun-Lindsay, with a view to getting a replacement. Even if it had not been damaged, I still felt it was time to replace it. It was quite a fragile structure and it is not the first time it has been damaged. I wanted to try to get something more robust.”

Discussions have now taken place between Mr Ingle, a former East Lothian councillor, and the local authority to look at potential funding sources.

That could see the memorial restored through the Civic Pride Fund, which is administered by East Lothian Council’s sport, countryside and leisure section and offers small grants to local community groups for projects to enhance their local environment. Mr Ingle said they would then look at whether the new memorial was something specially made or pre-designed.

The Normandy Landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, took place on June 6, 1944. Volunteers, including community councillors and gala organisers, raised thousands to fund the creation of a memorial garden and the erection of the sphere-shaped piece on the site of the former bowling green to the rear of Peter Potter Gallery.

The memorial was previously damaged in the summer of 2009.

Mr Ingle added: “There are some faceless, gutless individuals who destroyed it and I am not going to allow them to stop me from it being repaired.

“I’ve been out collecting for the poppies and I will get something that is fitting, appropriate and, nothing in this world is vandal-proof but this will be more robust.”