Fans plan Oxford statue of Morse creator Colin Dexter

Colin Dexter received an OBE for services to literature in 2000

Inspector Morse fans are hoping to build a statue of his creator Colin Dexter in Oxford.

The writer died in March aged 86. A permanent tribute is being planned in the city where he lived and set his 13 novels.

The Inspector Morse Society said it wanted to honour him with a life-sized bronze or marble statue featuring a crossword on its base.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price called the plan "entirely appropriate".

Society chairman Dr Antony Richards said the group estimated the memorial could cost about £50,000.

He said: "We just thought there should be something to mark this person who has done so much for Oxford.

"In his own way he put Oxford on the map, which might sound like a silly thing to say, but it's true as far as the modern tourist map is concerned."

Colin Dexter, centre, and Morse stars John Thaw, left, and Kevin Whately

He said the society would ask its 400 members for donations and he hoped publisher MacMillan and TV station ITV would also make contributions.

The proposed location for the statue is Diamond Place in Summertown, which is due to be redeveloped, and Dr Richards said sculptor Alex Wenham had offered to create it.

Mr Price said: "Colin Dexter is one of Oxford's iconic literary figures and it is entirely appropriate that he should be commemorated with a statue.

"Hopefully that can be located in the Summertown area where he both lived and worked for many years."

The series of Morse novels, written between 1975 and 1999, were adapted for the long-running ITV series, which starred John Thaw and Kevin Whately.

ITV was contacted for a comment and MacMillan said it was waiting to hear the views of Mr Dexter's family.

Colin Dexter wrote 13 Inspector Morse novels