Hungarians touched by the tragic death of Baildon pastor Michael Pollard have put up a memorial close to the spot where he was killed.

Dozens of locals attended a ceremony to unveil the carved wooden post, which has been installed near the layby where Mr Pollard and his wife, Jo, were attacked by robbers last August.

Mrs Pollard has said she is deeply touched by the gesture and is aiming to see the memorial for herself next year, when she hopes to return to the town of Nyiregyhaza.

The memorial to the pastor of Baildon Green's Emmanuel Evangelical Church has been established by members of the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) and the Pollard Commemorative Committee.

They have said they want the memorial to serve as a tribute to all well-intentioned people and a symbol for peace.

The unveiling ceremony included speeches from local officials, who denounced the brutality of the attack on the Pollards - who were on their way to Romania with aid for Christian communities - and the spread of violence.

MDF president Sandor Lezsak said: "This memorial should both commemorate and remind -- it is to commemorate the British pastor who had been working for long decades so that people in central and eastern Europe could live a humane life and made not only a symbolic but a real sacrifice.

"This puritan-looking straight wooden post also reminds us of our cruel world in which there would be places for many memorials like it.''

An ecumenical service followed the unveiling ceremony with many local people leaving flowers by the memorial.

Mrs Pollard, 56, said she thought re-visiting the site would help her, adding that she may combine that with a visit to the relatives of one of her husband's killers who have invited her to their home in Nyiregyhaza.

She said: "I'm not being morbid but I'd like to go back to see where we were when it happened and it would be nice to see the memorial.

"At the time it was dark. I spent nine days in hospital and went back for 24 hours for the trial so I haven't seen the place.

"Istvan Dudas's parents want me to visit and I would like to because although their son did a dreadful thing my heart just goes out to them - they're having to carry the can and life won't be easy for them.

"But from when Michael died I've been shown by friends, relations, neighbours, the press and people I don't even know has been amazing and helped me to get on and sort things out.''

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