Gormley statues win a stay of execution

THE Antony Gormley statues due to be removed from Crosby Beach next Monday won a stay of execution last night.

An appeal has now begun against the refusal of Sefton planners to allow the Iron Men to stay, meaning they will remain until at least March.

Last night, the chief executive of Sefton council, Graham Haywood, vowed to do everything in his power to keep the 100 statues in Crosby.

Mr Haywood said councillors may have been swayed by crowds at last week's planning committee, but said their decision had put major developments at risk and cost Sefton its credibility.

He also praised the Daily Post's campaign to keep Another Place on Merseyside and urged the public to continue its crusade to save the statues.

Mr Haywood pledged his commitment to keeping the statues as government agency Northern Way made an offer of £1m.

The funding body says it will give half the £2m needed to buy and maintain the statues if Another Place Ltd, the organisation set up to retain them, gets the relevant planning permission by December 1.

But Mr Haywood said last night that a decision cannot be made for up to three months.