A STEVENSTON historian wants to see a memorial with connections to Robert Burns restored to its former glory.

Bobby McGuire, secretary of the International Historical, Cultural and Geographical Agency, fears the ‘Bonnie’ Lesley Baillie Memorial has become so weathered that the inscriptions are no longer legible.

The monument commemorates Bonnie Lesley Baillie Memorial, who was called ‘the most beautiful, elegant woman in the world’ by Scotland’s Bard.

This month marks the anniversary of the birth of Bonnie Lesley and Bobby thinks it is important to restore the sandstone memorial.

He said: “It’s been in decline and it’s been left. We want to paint it and bring it back to the standard it was before.

“This is very important because it’s the anniversary of her birth and she’s associated with Robert Burns who wrote she was the most beautiful woman in the world.”

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “North Ayrshire Council has been carrying out repairs to the Bonnie Lesley Memorial.

“These have been carried out under the guidance of Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to ensure the highest standards are maintained.

“This has been ongoing for several months and is still ongoing. There is some stone indenting to be finished once the weather improves, which will complete the planned works.

“June 21 this year will mark the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the monument after renovation, and we look forward to working with the community to celebrate this milestone once the works are complete.”