Beloved theatre statue in need of repairs

The Grade II-listed structure is likely to be removed so it can be repaired

One of Sheffield's most recognisable statues is in need of repairs, a council report has said.

Visible cracks and rust have appeared on the Lyceum Theatre's statue of Mercury, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A planning application has been put forward requesting permission for the structure, which stands atop the theatre, to be removed and repaired.

A decision is likely to be made next month.

A statue condition report, submitted with the planning application to Sheffield City Council, said Mercury's steel frame was "visible through the cracks" beneath the fibreglass skin of the statue.

It added: "The steelwork is rusting and the build-up of rust is pushing outwards against the fibreglass, which is what has caused the cracking.”

The statue adorns the top of the Lyceum Theatre in the city

The report said vertical cracks had appeared on both sides of the leg the statue is standing on, some of them above the knee.

It added: “Unfortunately all of the above adds up to the statue needing to come down for repairs.

"In the meantime, we do not assess that there is any danger of catastrophic structural failure.”

The statue, known locally as 'Freddie', was crafted in 1990. It is a replica of the original statue that decorated the theatre on Tudor Square during its early years.

It is still not known what happened to the original one but some claim it was removed when the former Theatre Royal opposite the Lyceum suffered a fire in 1935.

Council officers have set 22 February as the target date for a decision.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].