Elaine Morgan statue unveiled in Mountain Ash

A statue of Elaine Morgan, one of Wales' leading writers and feminists, has been unveiled in her home town.

The coal miner's daughter, who excelled in both the arts and science, died in 2013 at the age of 92.

Her monument in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, is thought to be only the second of a non-fictionalised Welsh woman to be erected in the country.

A statue of Betty Campbell, the nation's first black head teacher, was unveiled in Cardiff last year.

The group Monumental Welsh Women is behind the statue of Dr Morgan - an award-winning author, TV writer, lecturer and scientific rebel who spent most of her life "in her beloved Wales" in Mountain Ash.

Monumental Welsh Women wants to erect five statues honouring five Welsh women in five different locations in five years.

• How many statues of women are there in the UK?

• Church replaces ancient carvings with inspiring women sculptures

Helen Molyneux is the founder of the group and said it was "really incredible and so exciting".

"The response has been incredible, people really appreciate learning the history of these women, and hopefully girls in Mountain Ash will walk past the statue of Elaine Morgan and think 'wow, she achieved so many things'.

"Elaine Morgan was an incredible woman - she went to Oxford University at a time when it was very unusual for girls from her background to do so, so much so, when she arrived she was mistaken for a cleaner, so that was a hurdle she had to overcome."

Dr Morgan's TV career saw her become one of the industry's leading drama writers

In the 1950s, Dr Morgan became a scriptwriter with her first scripts accepted before she even owned a television.

She wrote well-loved dramas including How Green Was My Valley and The Life and Times of David Lloyd George.

In the 1970s, Dr Morgan challenged the scientific establishment with a new theory of human evolution.

Her book The Descent of Woman became an international bestseller, turning her into a feminist hero who toured the US three times.

The bronze statue is not just a figure of Elaine Morgan, but includes elements that point to her life and career, where she excelled in both the arts and science.

The statue depicts her work as a writer

It has been designed and created by sculptor Emma Rodgers, whose notable works include Liverpool's statue of Cilla Black.

She said: "She was famous for her theories of the aquatic ape, so there will be some sea elements in there and animals.

"I want there to be a level of discovery, so the more you look the more you'll find - there's text, there's famous scripts.

Ms Morgan's son Gareth was at the unveiling of the statue

"I've tried to find a way where hopefully her family and the people of Wales will be happy with what's been created."

Ms Rodgers said it had been a privilege to work on a project to get more statues of women in Wales.

"It's changing history - it's making history and for the better - celebrating women in their home towns that they've supported throughout their lives."

Elaine Morgan was an award-winning author, TV writer, lecturer and scientific rebel

Elaine Morgan's son, Gareth Morgan, said his mother's work had inspired women everywhere.

"I have seen messages to her from women all over the world who wrote to thank her for changing their lives.

"Some had been inspired to forge a career in science, while others took up writing or some other long held ambition after reading her books.

"She's been called a campaigner for women's equality, but secretly, I think she believed in women's superiority."

• WOMEN OF WALES: Showcasing amazing Welsh female talent and stories

• PEOPLE THOUGHT OF AS BITS OF AN ALGORITHM: Life and death in the warehouse