VANDALS have damaged the new Fred Dibnah statue in Bolton town centre.
They struck at some point over the weekend, snapping the steeplejack’s famous wire spectacles.
The eight-foot statue was unveiled at the end of April in Oxford Street, by the then mayor Cllr Barbara Ronson, after a three-year campaign to raise funds.
Mr Brian Tetlow, chairman of the Fred Dibnah Appeal Fund, which raised cash to pay for the statue, said: “Sadly it is a sign of the times. I don’t know if it was hooligans fooling around or someone who had been drinking, but it detracts from the attraction that the statue has become in the town centre.”
Sculptor Jane Robbins from Shropshire, created the statue of Fred wearing his trademark waistcoat and flat cap. She also included his wire rimmed spectacles, but warned at the time they may be vulnerable to attack.
Deputy leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Linda Thomas, said: “It’s a very sad state of affairs when you can’t put something like this up as a tribute without it being vandalised. It’s a lack of respect to Fred Dibnah and the wishes of the people of Bolton.”
She added: “This statue was put up, not only as a tribute to Fred, but to encourage people to come to the town.”
In November last year CCTV cameras had to be installed in Newport Street to stop the decorative elephants from being targeted by vandals.
(source)
