Lasting tribute to Frank (From Messenger Newspapers)

Messenger backs Facebook campaign to get statue built in Timperley of Frank Sidebottom

10:28am Thursday 1st July 2010 in News By Rick Bowen

MESSENGER is backing a campaign to erect a statue to Frank Sidebottom, the comic creation of Timperley comedian Chris Sievey.

Chris, who had been battling throat cancer, died last Monday aged 54.

The campaign is running on Facebook and spokesman Nick Fraser said a memorial would be a fitting tribute to an artist who put his beloved home town on the map.

Nick said the idea has won backing from the team who created the statue for comedy legend Eric Morecambe in his home town.

Nick, who also works as a comedian, worked with Frank on many occasions and said his appeal spanned generations.

“There are some cliches that get used about performers appealing to people aged eight to 80 and Frank was even outside of that. He appealed to people from six-months-old to 106.

“You can mention Timperley around the world and yet there are other areas of Manchester that people will never have heard of,” he said.

Nick, from Urmston, said the team behind the Morecambe statue have provided useful support.

“They said they’ve got all the details about the red tape you have to go through and they’d be willing to help,” he said.

A mosaic depicting Frank Sidebottom is coming home – thanks to a campaign led by Timperley councillor Neil Taylor.

The piece of art had been in storage after it was removed from the wall off Affleck’s Palace, Manchester’s trendy retail outlet.

“Frank was always asking me where we could get it put up because he wanted it to come to Timperley and be put in a safe place so it never got lost,” said Neil.

The mosaic is to go on display at Timperley Community Centre and Neil said he also hopes to display it at the Altrincham Festival celebrations on Saturday.

l The coroner has confirmed that the immediate cause of Chris’s death was a massive haemorrhage.