Coronavirus: Unveiling of Kevin Beattie statue delayed

The statue captures Kevin Beattie leaping to challenge for the ball

A statue in honour of a former Ipswich Town and England footballer has been completed - but its unveiling has been delayed by the coronavirus outbreak.

Kevin Beattie, voted Ipswich's greatest player, died from a heart attack in September 2018, aged 64.

It had been hoped Sean Hedges-Quinn's bronze sculpture of "The Beat" would be unveiled on 2 May.

But with social distancing restrictions in place, organisers want to wait to make it a "big occasion".

Fans helped raised £110,000 for the statue of the defender, which will placed opposite the one of Sir Alf Ramsey near Ipswich Town's Portman Road ground.

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Hedges-Quinn, who also created the Sir Alf and Sir Bobby Robson tributes in the town, said his "number one priority" was to capture Beattie's "power".

A teaser picture of the statue showing the number six on the back of Beattie's shirt

Hedges-Quinn said the statue had gone to a foundry in London for bronzing.

"I just want everybody to see it," said the sculptor.

"It's been a long labour of love for me."

Beattie in action for Ipswich against Barcelona in the Uefa Cup in November 1977

The statue will appear at the entrance to the car park on the other side of Portman Road from the Sir Alf Ramsey statue

Money for the statue was raised through a fundraising appeal held in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk, local newspapers and the TWTD website.

Brad Jones, editor of the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star, said the unveiling would happen when football matches have resumed because "we want a crowd there to see it".

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