ON THE day the nation remembered the fallen in battle, one Sidmouth man was remembering his son, lost at sea in a fishing tragedy.

ON THE day the nation remembered the fallen in battle, one Sidmouth man was remembering his son, lost at sea in a fishing tragedy.

Mr Stan Bagwell, who son Ian drowned in February 1998, has donated a heavy anchor to Sidmouth in Bloom to go with the annual marine display at the Three Cornered Plot.

Early on Remembrance Day, November 11, Alan Fowler and colleague Dave Seal from East Devon District Council's StreetScene, helped by Bradfords, moved the anchor from the beach at the end of the Esplanade to its new home.

The weight of the anchor made it a tough job for the men, said Joy Seward, president of Sidmouth in Bloom.

"Sidmouth in Bloom is most grateful to Stan Bagwell, Bradfords and EDDC and it is a fitting place for the very old anchor to be placed," she said. "I am so delighted to have this anchor 'resting' on the sea bed.

She is researching whether it once belonged to the Duchess of Devonshire that was grounded on the beach many years ago.

A plaque giving details of the donation will be erected, to which members of the Bagwell family will attend.

On the same day a large piece of driftwood was moved to accommodate the anchor and, said Joy: "We are hoping that another small piece will turn up sometime so that we can finish off this eye-catching feature.