Unveiling of Agatha Christie statue delayed

The statue had been due to be unveiled at the International Agatha Christie Festival in September

Plans for a new statue of Dame Agatha Christie to be unveiled as the centrepiece of a £4m harbourside plaza in Torbay have been delayed.

The statue's unveiling has been postponed until next year after contractors discovered unexpected pipes and cables which have hampered the new development.

The statue's big reveal had been due to take place during next month’s International Agatha Christie Festival.

But it is now due to be unveiled at a special mini-festival next spring, Torbay Council said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the plaza needed to be redesigned after excavations unearthed unexpected pipes and cables.

Torbay councillor Swithin Long described the delay as "disappointing".

"If it does miss the festival it’s a crying shame, because it’s an event that is getting more and more successful every year," he said.

In a statement the council said: "We have postponed the installation and official unveiling of the Agatha Christie statue until the spring of 2025.

"This will align with our official opening of the new-look harbourside which we are planning a programme of events for.

"The programme of construction works has been slightly extended due to redesign work that needed to take place after essential utilities were identified in an area that was originally marked up for underground tree pits."