3:50pm Sunday 14th March 2010
Skipton’s statue of cricketing legend Fred Trueman is to be unveiled next week.
The statue, currently on its way from the London foundry where it was made, will be unveiled in the Canal Basin at 11am on Thursday.
Carrying out the ceremony will be Fred’s widow, Veronica, sculptor Graham Ibbeson and Steve Butcher, deputy managing director of Northern Rail.
The bigger-than-life-size £90,000 bronze statue is the result of a fundraising appeal set up in 2007 by Northern Rail.
It will be accompanied by the launch of Copper Dragon’s specially brewed Fiery Fred Ale.
The day before the ceremony, there will be a gala dinner at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, attended by Fred’s friends including Dickie Bird, Brian Close, Geoff Boycott and Ray Illingworth.
Coun David Crawford, chairman of Craven District Council, which provided the Canal Basin land, said: “Fred was one of the nation’s cricket greats and holds a special place in the hearts of many.
“We’re delighted Fred’s statue will be in such a prominent location alongside one of Skipton’s best- known features – the Leeds-Liverpool canal. The unveiling will be a very special day for the town and we know Fred will become one of our most photographed landmarks.”
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