Warrington Memorial garden dedicated to war heroes when a roadside bomb hit their armoured vehicle in Afghanistan

Video report by Victoria Grimes

A former park in Warrington is to be created into a new memorial garden for six soldiers killed when their armoured Warrior tank hit a massive roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

It is hoped the forgotten Marshall Gardens, situated along the Mersey and opposite the town's Cenotaph will be turned into a 'vibrant and sensory' memorial garden for ex-servicemen and their families.

The idea came from Lisa Billing whose son Private Daniel Wade, from Latchford, was killed aged 20 while fighting in Afghanistan in 2012. She's been supported by Minds at War, mental health support.

“It was then that I thought that the gardens need revamping, to bring what was once a beautiful place back to life again.

“My hope is that this will be a community project which will be dedicated to Mr Marshall and also my son.”

Pte Daniel Wade, 20, from Warrington and Sgt Nigel Coupe, 30 from St Annes in Lancashire died alongside colleagues, Cpl Jake Hartley, 20, Pte Anthony Frampton, 20, Pte Christopher Kershaw, and 19, Pte Daniel Wilford, 21, in March 2012.

Sgt Coupe was from 1 Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment and was on secondment to 3 Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment to which the other five soldiers belonged.

They were patrolling in a Warrior armoured vehicle when it was hit by a bomb near the border between Helmand and Kandahar provinces.They died when a bomb exploded under their vehicle.

The garden is due to open on March 6th next year on what would be the tenth anniversary of Daniel's death.

His mum is determined it will be a place for the whole community to find peace.