Frankfest to fund Frank Sidebottom statue

Sidebottom appeared on shows including ITV's Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show

Rock veterans The Fall and singer Badly Drawn Boy are to headline Frankfest, a gig to raise money to build a statue of comic character Frank Sidebottom.

Known for his over-sized papier-mache head, Sidebottom was the alter ego of entertainer Chris Sievey, who died in June 2010.

Friends are trying to raise £60,000 to install a life-size bronze statue in Timperley, Manchester, where he lived.

Frankfest will be held at the Jabez Clegg venue in Manchester on 31 March.

"The demise of Frank, when Chris died, was incredibly sad," said Sievey's friend and statue campaign chairman Neil Taylor. "We're trying to get a fitting tribute."