Lemmy's hometown statue to get final go-ahead

A statue of Motorhead frontman Lemmy will be erected in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent

The hometown statue of Motorhead frontman Lemmy is set to be authorised this week.

The 2.25m bronze sculpture of the rock legend, who died in 2015 aged 70, will be unveiled in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, on 8 May.

It was granted planning permission last year but due to it being placed on council-owned highway land, an additional authorisation is needed from the authority under a Victoria-era law.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's cabinet is set to meet on Tuesday to officially authorise the statue, which will be erected on Market Place.

A council spokesperson said: "Stoke-on-Trent has produced many famous faces over the years and what better way to honour one of our own than by installing a statue in the town where they were born – and in our centenary year as well.

"We are looking forward to welcoming visitors from all over the world for the unveiling."

The statue of Lemmy is set to be unveiled on 8 May

Lemmy – real name Ian Fraser Kilmister – was born in Burslem in 1945 and later lived in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Madeley.

He joined Hawkwind as a bassist and vocalist in 1971 before forming Motorhead four years later.

The band went on to release 23 studio albums in a career spanning 40 years until Lemmy's death on 28 December 2015, which came after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

'Lemmy gave me joy'

The statue is the work of renowned Staffordshire artist Andy Edwards, best known for making the world-famous statue of the Beatles on Liverpool's waterfront.

It will depict Lemmy at the height of his fame in the 1980s, in an iconic pose singing up towards a microphone.

A portion of Lemmy's ashes will be placed within the plinth by former Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell when the statue is unveiled.

Mr Edwards said: "This new statue of Lem is special, not just because I share the same birthplace as him or because of how much he personally means to me, but because it's so important to have a permanent international landmark celebrating him where he was born.

"Lemmy gave me joy, confidence in myself, and energy, and he's also an avatar of the original spirit and power of rock and roll. I really hope it will become a meeting place for people from all over the world to take the journey to."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.