Monument planned to commemorate the famous Wallace Tree of Port Glasgow

Douglas Nicholson, of Greenock-based Nicholson McShane Architects, has come up with a striking design for a permanent memorial on the spot where the oak stood within the ground of Holy Family Church.

It comes five years after a group of local Wallace enthusiasts, led by Cha Halliday, set out to find the last-remaining piece of the tree the Scottish icon is said to have been chained to following his capture by the English in 1305.

The group now have the blessing of Holy Family parish priest Canon David Cotter to erect a monument commemorating the Inverclyde link to Wallace.

Activists are now hopeful of securing planning permission from the council to take the project to the next stage having gained financial support from The Society of William Wallace and the Clan Wallace Society in America.

Cha, who lives in Greenock, said: "If all goes according to plan and we eventually get it finished, we would like the monument added to the Inverclyde tourist trail along with the likes of the McLean Museum and Lyle Hill. "The societies have kindly donated money to get the ball rolling."

The oak stood just inside the entrance to Holy Family until it was blown down in 1995.

What was left of it then spent over two decades on the former Gourock Ropeworks site, owned by neighbouring Bouverie Motors, before company owner David Smith gifted it to the group in 2014.

It is now in storage and drying out at Newark Products in Devol, having been donated to Historic Environment Scotland.

Experts date the oak back to at least the 1700s but say it could be even older.

Top scientist Dr Coralie Mills hailed it as a 'major archaeological find', adding that she 'cannot refute the Wallace tradition'.

Canon Cotter said: "We're happy to be part of this, honouring such a big part of local folklore.

"I put the design on display in the church and people liked it immediately.

"I'm curious to see how it turns out and I hope it turns out well."

Whiteside Memorials in Greenock have been lined up to create the sculpture, which depicts branches of the famous oak and the red chain used to restrain Wallace.

Holy Family parishioner, Joe Delaney, who made several statues of Padre Pio from another chunk of the tree after it toppled in '95, said: "I've always believed in it. I'm very pleased to see this taking shape."

The group will now meet with council officials to discuss planning permission and any extra cash will be raised via an online crowd funding appeal.

Local man Neil Lochiel, who is a member of the Wallace Society along with Cha, said: "On behalf of the society, we're delighted that Canon Cotter and parishioners of Holy Family have been so supportive of this. "Without their support, this would not be happening at all.

"Douglas' design looks superb."