A bench alongside the Lichfield Canal has been dedicated to the people of the city.
The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust said it had been donated by former resident John Hayfield.
It has taken pride of place at the Gallows Reach section of the canal between London Road and Cricket Lane.
John now lives in the Cotswolds, but remembers with great affection the central role the canal played in his childhood – even though it had been abandoned almost ten years before.
“My family moved to Lichfield in 1963, when I was four. We lived at London Road, so many an hour was spent down by the canal.
“That must be where my love of canals comes from. I recall the old London Road Garage, the adjoining house – and the echoes from under the bridge as we played.
“Lichfield is full of memories for me, having lived there and in villages around for many of my 60-plus years.
“I hope the bench will be enjoyed as a place for rest – and peaceful reflection.”
John Hayfield
The benches on the Lichfield Canal Heritage Towpath Trail are made by Lichfield and volunteer Tony Cadwallader.
Information on how to donate a bench with inscribed personal plaque alongside the canal can be found on the trust’s online shop.
