AS the sculptor of the Eric Morecambe and Les Dawson statues I would like to respond to the article written by Robin Duke about the new work (The Gazette, October 24).
I have always been a great fan of Les
Dawson and I first approached Tracey
Dawson about a statue of the comedy legend in 1997.
There was talk of interest from the Councils and various individuals in Blackpool, Manchester, Salford and even Liverpool and I discussed the project at length with Tracy Dawson, however, in spite of a great many words and promises nothing happened,
because no one was prepared to take the initiative.
Then in January 2007 Fylde Council asked Jim Cadman to take on the role of raising the funds for a statute of Les Dawson.
Under his personal leadership the funds were raised by public donation and
corporate sponsorship in record time for the project at no cost to Fylde Council, and I had the honour of being the sculptor and helping to select the site on the promenade in St Annes.
To put things into perspective it took over six years to raise the necessary funds for Eric Morecambe.
That statue of Les Dawson like that of Eric's is situated at ground level because it needs to be accessible.
Fans and visitors want to touch the statue, put their name around it, have their
photographs taken with it and remember with affection a man who always made them laugh.
You can't do this at the top of a column!
In fact the sculpture was modelled to be on a plinth no taller than 18 inches high.
If you should need proof of the above all you need to do is visit St Annes where there has been a constant stream of visitors to the statue and they all have one thing in common – they are smiling.
Rather than think wishfully about Les Dawson and the tourists that he will attract to St Annes, might it not be a idea for
Blackpool to take positive action and pay homage to its great showbusiness heritage and erect larger than life images to some of the great entertainers who in the past filled its many theatres to bursting point.
Next year is the 70th anniversary of Charlie Carolie's first appearance, what a great time to start
Graham Ibbeson (sculptor)
Address supplied



Fireworks put lives at risk
In response to the person (name and address supplied) who is all for bonfire night because their two dogs don't mind it and it's their youngest son's birthday (The Gazette, November 5). They ask us to empathise with an 11-year-old who can't have his sparklers.
How about we empathise with the pensioner who has had a rocket
put through her letter box. The
hundreds of people each year who are burned, maimed or worse.
The emergency services who are stretched to breaking point. How would the mystery writer of this tripe feel if his son needed an
ambulance or the fire brigade in an emergency but they were busy
dealing with someone throwing bangers at them.
Just because you act responsibly doesn't mean everyone else does. Just because your pets don't mind it doesn't mean that thousands of other pets aren't traumatised.
Celebrate by all means but at
organised events only.
Martin Woodsford
Park Road, St Annes


Parking a disgrace
I would like to warn others about the car park prices at Houndshill car park after my mum and I had a lovely day shopping and lunch in Blackpool.
We parked up at 9.45am and got back to the car park at 2.40pm. I expected this to cost around £5. Imagine our dismay when we saw that up to 4 hours was £3 but the next price bracket jumps to £9 - this is for four to eight hours.
We had to pay an extra £6 for the 55 minutes outside the four hours. This is a disgrace.
Why does it not go up £1 every hour?
I know we should have looked at the price before we set off shopping, but I really did not think that shoppers would be ripped off like that.
I do not think this happens in Preston, there is no wonder people go there.
What a shame when we have a lovely new centre to visit.
Christina Hayes
Poulton


Fuel plan not thought out
David Cameron announced one of his few 'big ideas' in July – the fuel stabilisation plan.
This was quickly adopted by the Tory-controlled Wyre
Council as they approved a motion backing this policy.
The problem for them, which I told them at the time, was this does mean that when fuel goes down in price they intend to put the price up!
Since July fuel the cost of fuel has been gradually reducing.
If the Tories on Wyre Council, and David Cameron, had had their way, the tax on fuel would then have gone up. The Tories really do need to stop being so opportunistic about every policy and think through what they say.
Times are increasingly difficult and penalising hard-pressed motorists may not have been their intention but that is what they would have done.
Coun Clive Grunshaw
Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Lancaster & Fleetwood
Waste of hay by the motorway
Have other Fylde folk noticed what appears to be a terrible waste of hay while driving east from Peel Roundabout along the M55? The fields on the left around Staining and Singleton are full of hundreds of huge, rolled, circular bales which have stood there for months in all weathers.
The fate of this hay appears similar to what we have witnessed in past years when it is left to rot through winter.
Do we see some Euro grant nonsense in operation, where the grant for growing outweighs the market price for selling? It's an affront, when many animals could benefit from this resource.
ROY SANDS
Marton
Pay bosses by results
I WRITE in response to the appointment of Helen France as Blackpool council's new executive of tourism. (The Gazette, November 4)
At last we are told where so much of the rate payers money is being spent, £113,000 per year, on one person's salary.
Many will ask how many senior and junior executives are in the employment of Blackpool council and how much money is misspent
every year on huge salaries.
We in Blackpool haven't seen any improvements in our town over the past 15 to 20 years. The amounts spent on the Super
Casino being a fine example.
No doubt we will get the usual excuse if you want the best, you must pay the best salaries – we as rate payers want results not empty promises. I would like to see salaries in line with results.
Name and Address Supplied