Statue of TV Fred unveiled

An impressive eight foot high statue of steeplejack Fred Dibnah has been unveiled in his home town after it was created by a Shropshire artist.Jane Robbins, who has a studio in Shrewsbury, carefully crafted the bronze statue of the late TV favourite and it was unveiled in Bolton town centre to mark what would have been Fred's 70th birthday last week.

Jane, who lives in Church Stretton, crafted the statue of Fred in work clothes, wearing his flat cap and holding a lightning conductor.

A large crowd of Fred's fans gathered in the town centre as the permanent monument was unveiled in Oxford Street.

His statue was unveiled by the Mayor of Bolton, Councillor Barbara Ronson, in front of an appreciative crowd of onlookers, friends and family.

He stands alongside the Hick Hargreaves Corliss stationary steam engine, machinery which Fred greatly admired and loved to visit.

Jane said she was relieved to finally see the statue in place.

She said: "I'm very happy because people have been saying very nice things about it and that's all I wanted - the people of Bolton seem to like it.

"I hope people grow to feel that it's theirs, to honour a man that they're very proud of."

The statue cost £46,000 and was the result of three years of fundraising by Bolton Civic Trust and The Bolton News.

Fred's widow Sheila raised £8,500 and his biggest fan Wendy Close, of Astley Bridge, raised more than £6,000 by selling badges that she designed.