The man who created the Eric Morecambe Statue has spoken of his pride on the 25th anniversary of its unveiling.
Graham Ibbeson sculpted the statue of the famous Morecambe-born TV comedian which was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on the Promenade on July 23 1999.
Mr Ibbeson, from Barnsley, said being asked to create the bronze Eric Morecambe Statue changed his life.
"Once the Queen unveiled it, my career took off," he told Beyond Radio this week.
"I'm grateful for Eric and grateful for Morecambe and grateful for all the people who funded it."
LISTEN to Graham Ibbeson talking about the Eric Morecambe Statue
The statue of the Morecambe and Wise star, showing him dancing in his famous 'Bring Me Sunshine' pose, has become a major tourist attraction in the town.
Graham said its success has been "beyond my wildest dreams".
"I was approached six years before it was unveiled and then we had to go out and try to get funding for it, through The Visitor (newspaper)," he said.
"Just before Christmas 1998 I was asked to go to Lancaster (Town Hall). My name was thrown into the hat because of the nature of my work.
"I was asked to do a small model (of Eric). Initially I don't think (Eric's widow) Joan wanted him dancing on the seafront, but I came up with the idea for him to wear plus fours and have binoculars round his neck, and I think I won her over.
"Everyone knows what Eric Morecambe looked like. He was so loved. I had to do my version of Eric Morecambe. I worked that day, all through the night, did a plaster cast of it, and took it up to Lancaster and I got the job. And thank goodness I did, because it changed my life.
Eric (centre) is pictured below with his comedy partner Ernie Wise, and actor Glenda Jackson, in a TV sketch from the Morecambe and Wise show in the 1970s.
"I was told, we've got a very important person coming in July, can I get Eric ready before then? They didn't tell me who it was.
"They got sponsorship, and the money, and I started it in January 1999. I'm really pleased with the result."
Getting the job of creating a statue of one of his comedy heroes, came at a difficult time for Graham.
"My wife had a brain haemorrhage and had to be rushed to hospital and had brain surgery, at around the same time.
"Two events in two days, one the best news I'd had in years, and the other one was terrible news about my wife, who luckily survived after brain surgery. I was nursing Carol while I was making the Eric. It was a really odd situation for me.
"I'd just moved house so I hadn't even set the studio up properly.
"I modelled Eric basically, in a garage.
"I remember Joan, and (Eric's son) Gary coming up to look at it. Joan walked in, looked at it, and said 'it's just like him Graham, get the kettle on!' So I knew I'd got it right."
Graham recalls the day of the unveiling with fondness, and said it was a "surreal" experience "to see the Queen get out of the Rolls Royce, coming up with the Duke of Edinburgh up the steps".
"I remember the Duke of Edinburgh, once it was unveiled, he shouted to the audience, 'What do you think of it so far?' And everyone shouted 'Ruggish!' It was an Eric Morecambe gag!
"The Duke of Edinburgh tapped me on the shoulder and said 'Only kidding lad, it's wonderful!'
"It was a magnificent day. The sun shone. We all ended up at the boozer afterwards. Not the Queen though!"
Graham has also created sculptures of many other famous people, including Laurel and Hardy in Stan Laurel's home town of Ulverston, Victoria Wood in Bury and Cary Grant in Bristol.
Some of his work can be seen in the new exhibition 'Casting Comedy Northern Legends' at Lancaster City Museum.
And he credits Eric Morecambe as "the start of it all".
"I loved the daftness, the camaraderie between Eric and Ernie, the magic between them," he said.
"This image of Eric dancing, everybody loved it. I think it helped turn tourism around in Morecambe. They go to the resort, because it brings back memories. They love Eric Morecambe."
John Eric Bartholomew was born on May 14 1926. He took his stage name of Eric Morecambe from the town of his birth.
Eric, who died in 1984 aged 58, is renowned for his double act with Ernie Wise, who died in 1999.
Morecambe and Wise are among Britain's most loved entertainers of all-time and their 'The Morecambe and Wise Show' TV specials remain enduringly popular today.
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