Work begins on peace garden

Work is underway to create a peace garden in memory of a Mansfield solider who died after taking ill whilst serving in Afghanistan.

Twenty-one-year-old Lance Corporal Taran Cheeseman died on 7th June 2009 after being flown home, only one day after he arrived to fight, because medical teams suspected he was suffering from a ruptured spleen.

But he was eventually diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and died shortly after being flown back to the UK.

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Since then his parents, Steven and Tracey Cheeseman have been raising funds to create a permanent memorial to him in his home town and have raised over £11,000 through various events.

With the help of £35,000 from Nottinghamshire County Council’s local improvement scheme, work has now begun on creating a permanent memorial to Lance Corporal Cheeseman in Ladybrook Lane, Mansfield.

The work to create the park is being carried out jointly with Mansfield District Council, which will be contributing towards its maintenance in the future

The Cheeseman family have commissioned the central feature of the memorial – a stone obelisk with a commemorative plaque.

County councillor Diana Meale said: “This is a wonderful and fitting tribute to Lance Corporal Cheeseman.”