FORTY years after the historic monument which gave Halesowen’s Shell Corner its name vanished, a replacement has finally been installed.

A First World War artillery shell took pride of place in the area from the 1920s until the 1970s when it went missing during roadworks – never to be seen again.

But in 2016, the News revealed the original shell – an 18 inch naval shell from a ship in WW1 – had been scrapped after turning up in a council-run yard in Blackheath.

Halesowen North councillor Stuart Henley has been leading the campaign to install a new shell at Shell Corner for a number of years, and his hopes became reality today (Wednesday, March 21) when a replacement was finally installed.

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Cllr Henley said: “I’m really pleased and proud of what we’ve been able to do. I can’t believe that it’s actually happened.

“It has taken such a long time to get to this point of having a shell back here in Shell Corner. We’ve had to jump through a lot of hoops put in front of us, but I couldn’t be happier.

“Since I picked up the shell two years ago from The British Army's Carver Barracks in Essex, it’s taken a lot of hard work to get to this point. During that time there’s been a few battles with other political parties who have been trying to stop this from happening, but we’ve overcome it.”

Originally wanting to install the shell back in its original location on the junction of Long Lane and Nimmings Road, Cllr Henley faced opposition from Dudley Council which raised issues of lighting and signage.

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The shell has instead been installed a few metres down the road at the junction of Long Lane and Maple Road, with Cllr Henley hoping the new monument will help reinvigorate an area which has been blighted in recent years.

He said: “When I was first campaigning as a councillor it was something that a lot of residents and shop owners said they would like to see in place again.

“This project has always been for the good of the community and quite a few locals have been thanking me for bringing a shell back.

“We’ve already been working with local schools and groups on projects regarding the history of the shell and its significance to the area.

“I hope it will raise the profile of the area. It’s had its issues, but Shell Corner is starting to thrive again and the shell will be part of the area’s future while celebrating the past.”

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Local artists Cliff Collis and Colin Burchill created a design – which has been painted onto the shell by the art department at Halesowen College – commemorating members of the armed forces.

Cllr Henley added: “I would like to see the shell become the base of remembrance on November 11. A place where we can lay our wreaths and commemorate those from the area who served and lost their lives in the armed forces.”

People can donate towards the cost of the shell project at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/returnoftheshell.

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