Victoria Wood memorial to be unveiled in Spring

A statue to the much-loved actress and comedian Victoria Wood will be unveiled in her home town in the spring.

Bury Council has given planning permission for the life-sized bronze memorial to be erected in the town centre, opposite the library.

A full unveiling of the piece, created by Graham Ibbeson who sculpted a famous memorial to Eric Morecambe, should happen in mid-May.

The Bafta award-winning star was 62 when she died in April 2016, following a battle with cancer.

Her brother Chris Foote Wood started the crowdfunding appeal to pay for the statue.

He said: “Bury Council have been very supportive of the scheme from the start.

“They couldn’t put any money into it but they did provide a site.

“The site is ideal, right in the middle of the town centre, very accessible, and I am quite sure it will attract many people to come and see it, rather like the one for Eric Morecambe in Morecambe.”

Ms Wood delighted audiences throughout her career, both writing and performing and her death was a huge shock to her many fans.

She grew up in nearby Prestwich and attended Bury Grammar School.