IT may be decades since she last lived in Bury, but Victoria Wood is still raising a laugh in her hometown.

Last week, Bury Council granted planning permission for a two-metre high statue of the comedy legend, which will take pride of place in Silver Street when it is unveiled in May.

The design is based on the 1988 TV special 'An Audience with Victoria Wood', and captures Victoria clutching a microphone in one hand.

The first scale models of the statue were revealed last week, but were met with a backlash from fans.

In response to the Bury Times' story on planning permission being granted, Stephen Proctor said he thought the model looked more like The Beatles' member George Harrison than Wood.

Catherine Milligan added: "If only the statue resembled Victoria Wood. It's shocking."

Meanwhile, Vincent Paul Jones quipped: "You could compile a list as long as my arm of who it looks like, Gwendoline from Wallace and Gromit, Sally from Corrie, a 5th Beatle, Clint Boon, Angela Merkel, Michael Fabricant, One of the Three Stooges, Monkeyperson Peter Tork, Simon from Trevor and Simon, Mike Sweeney, Grayson Perry, Black Adder 1st etc. 

"The one person who it doesn't look like is Victoria Wood. Back to the drawing board methinks."

The bronze figure will be erected after a campaign for the statue was started by Ms Wood's brother Chris Foote Wood in 2017.

It will stand opposite Bury Library where she used to steal books from since she was too chronically shy to ask a librarian how to join. However, she did send a cheque for £100 in later life.

Victoria Wood's biographer and Bury Times reporter Neil Brandwood was more diplomatic than others in his assessment of the statue. He said: "The eyes let it down a bit, but it is good that it shows Victoria herself instead of playing a character.

"I am sure she would have been amused by the shape of the microphone she is holding."

The statue will be made by Graham Ibbeson, the man responsible for creating the famous Eric Morecambe monument.

The plans reveal that an unused 1970s fountain in Library Gardens will be removed to make way for the statue and plinth.

A multi BAFTA award-winning comedian, writer and actor, Victoria Wood was born in Prestwich and attended Bury Grammar School for Girls.

She died in April 2016 at the age of 62 from cancer.

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