Views sought over surfer statue in Newquay

An impression of how the statue could look if it was sited at Killacourt above Towan Beach

Consultation has started on placing a statue of a surfer overlooking a beach at Newquay.

The 5m (16ft) £100,000 statue is being given to the town by Stuart and Cherrilyn Keogh to mark the town's connection to the sport.

Newquay Town Council is asking local people if they approve of it being sited at Killacourt, above Towan Beach.

The council estimates that siting the statue will cost it about £20,000 and upkeep will be about £2,500 a year.

The consultation document said Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, has anecdotally suggested the statue could increase the tourist industry within Newquay by £500,000 a year.

It said there were several other locations which would have been "ideal", such as Fistral Battery, Fistral Beach, Tolcarne Beach and Towan Headland.

But it added they were "not suitable due to ground works and appropriate licensing and permissions".

The consultation continues until 17:00 BST on 12 August.