A MEMORIAL stone and plaque to commemorate former members have been installed at Bransford Golf Club along with two new wildflower areas.

The additions to the course were the brainchild of the club's ladies section, who wanted to remember "friends past who have walked these fairways", as the plaque reads.

The installation of the new features has come at a poignant time after the club’s oldest member Stan Parnell, who would have been 92 this week, died the week before.

The memorial stone has been sited to the left of the ladies tee on the third hole next to one of the new wildflower areas, while the other wildflower patch is at the rear of the 12th tee.

Callow End stonemasons Steve Allard and Son made the memorial stone and plaque without charging for their services.

Lewis Allard said: “My father and I both thought it was a wonderful idea to have this memorial stone on the course and the message it contains, especially as it’s on the third tee.

“We used to be members and still play quite a lot here with our golfing society - The Old Bush Golf Society - and the third is quite special to us as one of our very good friends, who is sadly no longer with us, once had a hole-in-one on it.

“So we are delighted to be able donate this for the ladies section and the golf club.”

Anne Hamilton, one of the lady members involved in the scheme, added: “This really took us by surprise. It’s a wonderful gesture and much appreciated. Their generosity means we can look at other areas now.

“We would also like to thank all sections of the club including course manager Graham Wallace and the groundstaff team for their contributions to the project.”