A PLAQUE honouring the East Lancashire Regiment's seven holders of the Victoria Cross has been put up at Blackburn Cathedral -- all thanks to a former member.

Raymond Walsh, 79, of Lammack Road, Blackburn, presented the stone plaque to the cathedral as a lasting memorial to the men who were awarded the highest British military decoration for bravery in battle.

Mr Walsh, who served in the North West Command for three years from 1945, came up with the idea after his friend and VC holder Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews died in 1995.

After losing his wife Jean, who had long supported the regiment, he became even more determined to ensure a memorial was created.

It has taken him four-and-a-half years to design and create the plaque, which was eventually secured to the wall of the cathedral on Monday.

It will be officially dedicated by the Dean of Blackburn, the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, during the Somme Sunday ceremony on July 3.

The plaque carries the names of the seven men who have been awarded the prestigious VC medal from 1845 to 1940.

Underneath the list is an inscription in Latin which reads "Spectamur Agendo" -- by our deeds we are known.

A brass dedication plaque has also been put up nearby, marking the fact that it was presented to the cathedral by the family of the late Jean Walsh.

Mr Walsh said: "There is not another plaque in existence as far as I know that honours the memory of these seven VCs and I thought it would be fitting here because Blackburn is where the East Lancs regiment recruited from.

"I started working towards this more than four years ago after Ervine-Andrews died. He was a personal friend and when I asked if there would be a plaque dedicated to him in Cornwall, where he died, nobody knew. I decided then I would try to get one."

The plaque was created and installed by Ken Howe and Ian Lewis, of Stone Essentials, Waterfoot.

Following a military reorganisation the East Lancashire Regiment merged with a number of others to become the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR), based at Fulwood Barracks, Preston.

QLR spokesman Roger Goodwin said the plaque would hold great significance for many in the area.

He said: "There cannot be many families, who have their roots in East Lancashire, where you cannot find numerous members who served with the East Lancashire Regiment.

"It is always important to remember the gallantry and sacrifice of people enduring the worst conditions known to man, namely warfare and the phenomenal achievements of people like Captain Ervine-Andrews and others.

"The regiment is always touched and deeply grateful when individuals such as Mr Walsh go out of their way to do something like this."-