Next Sunday afternoon the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held at the VC Memorial in Newmills despite the fact that the monument was smashed in a freak accident on Thursday.

The driver of a large petrol tanker was negotiating a bend in the centre of the village when the side of the large vehicle caught the cenotaph memorial and brought it crashing to the ground.

Known as the VC War Memorial, it was erected to the memory of Ulster's First Second VC, Private Robert Morrow from Newmills, for his courage in rescuing his comrades who were buried in trenches. This he did under heavy fire in Belgium. Private Morrow was later killed in action.

Local postmaster Mr Carl Robinson told the Courier that this was the third time that the memorial had been knocked down. The monument, he said, was erected after the villagers raised the funds by subscription.

The petrol tanker which caused the damage is owned by Burmah Oil Company and Mr Robinson said that the company would have the memorial restored.

"Already Dungannon District Council workmen have replaced part of the stonework to leave it ready for Sunday's wreath laying event", Mr Robinson added.