The campaign to create a lasting memorial to Ottery’s most famous son is going well, according to the Coleridge Memorial Project chairman.

Last month saw the launch of local fundraising to create a set of poetry stones along the new bridge over the River Otter, and Chris Wakefield has been delighted with the donations so far.

He said: “We have been quite astonished at the rate at which our funds have built up in the first four weeks, and thanks to some very generous donations we are already approaching the sort of figures we were hoping for.”

The organiser of the campaign, John Pilsworth from the project, says donations to the plan to place a 70m granite representation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem ‘Kubla Khan are a great way to do something positive for the town.

CMP hopes the poetry stones will be kickstart more projects in Ottery to honour the Romantic poet, and Tourist Information Manager Phyllis Baxter is organising a special Coleridge weekend in October.

But although the poetry stones project is going well, Chris says it is still important for people to support their efforts so they can unlock the Heritage Lottery Fund and ‘Making it Local’ cash to reach the �30,000 total cost of the project.

A sample of the stones is on view in the TIC window, and you can make donation there or by posting a cheque to the Coleridge Memorial Project, Fir Grove, Lower Broad Oak Road, West Hill, Ottery St Mary, Devon EX11 1UF.