Funds are in place for work to start carving a giant statue that pays tribute to the heroic actions of Airedale terriers during the First World War after a surprise £18,000 donation to the fundraising campaign.
Kirriemuir sculptor Bruce Walker has been given the go-ahead to start work creating the piece for East Haven beach from a three metres cubed piece of granite.
The Airdale Terrier Club of Scotland breed rescue charity has been campaigning for almost a year to raise £50,000 for the statue.
The story of the breed being used during the war started in Angus as the first dogs were trained by Lt Col. Edwin Hautenville Richardson, who lived at Panbride House, near Carnoustie.
Dogs were trained to wear gas masks and navigate the treacherous and often terrifying conditions of the front lines.
They transported messages, located injured soldiers and delivered pigeons in baskets on their backs and first aid supplies.
Last year the group had raised almost £25,000 which put it in a position to apply to the Angus LEADER fund for matched funding.
However, the campaigners have been stunned by a generous £18,000 donation towards the project by Somerset-based recycling company Viridor Credits.
The charity’s secretary Wendy Turner, who lives in Inverkeilor, said: “It’s great to have the funds in place to give Bruce Walker the green light to get started.
“At the moment I’m trying to get quotes for things like the concrete plinth, the pathway and transporting the monument to the site so we know the final costs.
“With the amazing donation from Viridor it means that we won’t require so much from the Angus LEADER fund.
“We’re hoping to hear back from the Angus LEADER fund in the next month.”
News of the campaign has spread throughout the world and attracted donations from America, Australia, Canada and Finland.
Mr Walker, who carved the impressive Scott Wilson Memorial sculpture at Glen Prosen in Angus, said he hoped to start work on the sculpture next month.
He said the work on the 30-tonne piece of granite which he selected from an Peterhead quarry would be done by hand and take several months.
It is hoped the sculpture will be complete in time to be unveiled on Remembrance Day.
Wendy added: “It’s great to see the project come together after all the months of fundraising by the club.”
