Couples have been ordered to remove their ‘inappropriate’ love locks from Frodsham’s war memorial.
They have just under a week to take them off, otherwise bolt cutters will brought in.
Two padlocks have been attached to the metal railings around the sandstone monument.
Names of couples and messages of love are engraved on each token.
Frodsham Town Council has said the memorial is ‘not an appropriate’ place for the locks and set a deadline of August 22 for them to be removed.
Mayor Mallie Poulton said: “It’s inappropriate because of what the memorial stands for and what the love locks stand for.
“They just don’t go together. There are lots of other places in Frodsham where they could have put them, maybe we could designate a gate or a bench in the town.
“Obviously we’ve given the couples a bit of time to take them down so hopefully they realise it wasn’t right.”
The Cenotaph stands at the top of Frodsham Hill overlooking the town.
It was built in 1921 to commemorate those who gave their lives in the First World War, before another inscription was added for those lost in the Second World War.
The monument honours 126 of Frodsham’s sons who fought and died.
An FTC statement said: “It has been brought to our attention that a couple of ‘love locks’ have been attached to the railings around the Cenotaph.
“This is not appropriate and we request that they are removed by August 22.
“If they are not removed by this date, we will be forced to remove them with bolt cutters.”
Sweethearts have been known to leave love locks on famous monuments and bridges across the world.
More recently they have had to be removed from Chester suspension bridge and the Eastgate Clock.
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