Victoria Wood statue to be removed after taxi crash

The council, which is responsible for maintaining the statue on Church Gardens, said the incident, which happened at around 10pm, was "disappointing", adding it will be removed to assess the extent of the damage. 

The vehicle sustained significant damage, and the driver was taken to hospital with non-serious injuries.

No arrests were made, police confirmed.

READ MORE: Bury: Victoria Wood statue knocked over in town centre

Police were called to the statue at around 10pm last night (Image: Public)

A council spokesman said: “Victoria Wood was a national treasure, and we are proud to call her one of our own.

“The statue was crowd-funded by Victoria’s brother Chris and from her estate, and maintained by the council.

"It was made by the acclaimed sculptor Graham Ibbeson and unveiled in 2019.

"It has been a source of great pleasure to many visitors to Bury, and it’s a huge disappointment that this incident has happened and the statue will have to be removed.

“We are currently making arrangements for the statue to be removed and kept in a safe place while we assess the extent of the damage to it. We will be in close contact with Victoria’s family in deciding what to do next.

“We understand that the police are investigating the incident, and that the driver went to hospital with non-serious injuries. The vehicle is a taxi, licensed in Wolverhampton.”

Victoria Wood's statue and a new information board with was unveiled last year (Image: Chris Foote-Wood)

In May last year, a new information plaque was installed next to the statue in honour of the late comedian, who died aged 62 in 2016. 

Victoria’s brother Chris Foote-Wood, who was part of the committee that helped to install the statue said the memorial would be "back as good as new very soon".

He said: “It’s a terrible shock to be told that your sister has been knocked down by a taxi, but Victoria always was tough and her bronze statue even more so.

"She’ll be back good as new very soon.”

The memorial, which was unveiled in 2019, serves as a celebration of the the life and work of the Prestwich-born actress and comedian, who first found fame in the 1970s on TV talent show, New Faces. 

The comedian went on to star in acclaimed sitcoms including Dinnerladies and Acorn Antiques as well as comedy sketch show, Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV.