KIND volunteers gave up their time to help tidy a cairn built to remember people from Port Glasgow killed in the Blitz.

Equipped with shovels, spades and strimmers, members of the Greenock branch of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders’ Association joined volunteers from Parklea Branching Out and housing association River Clyde Homes to spruce up the cairn in Northfield Avenue ahead of Armistice Day next month.

Chris Folan, secretary of the local Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders branch, said: “This is a community thing.

“The cairn is in memory of those who were killed in the Blitz in Port Glasgow and the families around here who were bombed.

“This cairn is here to keep remembering those people.

“We are very grateful to Parklea Branching Out and River Clyde Homes for their help to tidy it up.

“We want to make it accessible not only for the community but also for disabled people so they can come up and see the cairn and enjoy the scenery here.”

Fellow association member Walter Cooke says they want the cairn to look as tidy as possible ahead of Remembrance Sunday next month.

He said: “We’re trying to clear it up and to keep it nice for everyone who comes up here.”

As part of the work, the volunteers cleared the path and surrounding ground of grass and weeds and also tidied up the planters.

New plaques are also set to be fitted to the planters to remember the victims.

A special service is being held at the cairn on Remembrance Sunday on November 12 at 11am.