Memories of beloved villagers are being kept alive with several newly installed benches on a beautiful river walk.

Keen walkers now have a series of benches along a scenic stretch of the the River Tamar estuary, thanks to the generosity of families who have donated them in memory of loved ones.

Bere Ferrers Parish Council has installed five new benches along the Tamara Coast to Coast Way where it crosses the Bere Peninsula, with support from local families and the Tamar Valley National Landscape.

The benches have been sited in Bere Ferrers village and on the riverside at Weir Quay and will be maintained by the parish council.

Each bench has been sustainably made out of 1,009 recycled plastic bottles by a company in Poole.

Three of the benches are in memory of Bere Ferrers parishioners Doris Chapman, Jane Hamlyn and Jean White, with the costs born by their families.

Brian Lamb, parish councillor, said: “The new bench at Weir Quay provides excellent views of the River Tamar and offers accessible seating with a clear, level space alongside it for pushchairs and mobility devices.

“It is intended to provide a peaceful place to pause and enjoy the beautiful landscape.”

The Weir Quay bench and a new community noticeboard displaying updated interpretation panels about the local landscape, wildlife and history was funded by Defra’s ‘Access for All’ programme in the Tamar Valley National Landscape.

On Thursday, April 2, Jane Hart, project officer for Tamar Valley National Landscape, joined Richard Leithall, chair of the parish council, to mark the installation of the new Weir Quay bench and noticeboard.

Bere Ferrers Parish Council welcomes enquiries from relatives interested in providing a bench in memory of a loved one within the parish on public ground. More details can be obtained from the parish clerk at [email protected].