A NEW home is set to be built for High Wycombe's Book of Remembrance after a generous donation from the town's Royal British Legion.

Buckinghamshire County Council embarked on a £3,500 project to give the memorial an exclusive new cabinet in time for the opening of the Eden shopping centre next year.

Furniture makers Steward Linford Ltd, which was assigned to make the piece, had already agreed to put up more than half the cost - leaving £1,500 left to be raised.

Bucks Library Service, which currently houses the book in Wycombe Library, believed it would have to approach the public for help in raising the cash.

But it has been saved the trouble after High Wycombe Royal British Legion (RBL) decided to donate the lot. The cabinet can now be designed sooner than planned, making it more likely that it will be built in time for April 2008.

Chris Featherstone, 58, local studies specialist for Bucks Library Service, said: "It is so generous of the British Legion. I think they felt they wanted to do it and we are extremely grateful to them.

"I'm hoping they will be able to offer their advice on the design of the cabinet. It would be nice if they could."

Mrs Featherstone said the pledge was even more of a surprise as the RBL was the first organisation she approached for help.

She said: "I chose to write to the British Legion first and to my pleasure they wrote back and said they would like to donate the whole £1,500."

The building of the cabinet is set to commence in September and will be placed in the town's new library at Eden with the Book of Remembrance inside.

The book lists the names of townsfolk who gave their lives during the Second World War and has been in Queen Victoria Road since around 1950.

Monty Seymour, 93, president of High Wycombe RBL, said he decided to help after hearing the public might be asked for donations.

He said: "I thought that wasn't right. I thought the council would have paid for it themselves.

"The legion has been so kind to me. I have had so many friends there. I would like to think it is a nice way of remembering them.

"There should be a good setting where people can look at it. "

The donation is set to be handed over next Tuesday at Wycombe Library.