A £90,000 statue of Yorkshire fast bowler Fred Trueman will take pride of place at Skipton’s Canal Basin.

Councillors at a meeting of Craven District Council agreed the statue should go up in Skipton.

They were told that the 8ft statue of the iconic cricketer bowling would be placed next to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and would mean the loss of a Maple tree.

Some said that it would be better off elsewhere.

The statue, originally proposed for outside the town hall, has been made by sculptor Graham Ibbeson. It is estimated that the statue could generate thousands of sightseers to the town after it is unveiled next month.

Coun Stephen Butcher, who said he was a former friend of the late cricketer who retired to Flasby, near Skipton, said it was a good place for the statue.

But Coun Ady Green said the statue should be placed at a sports venue.

“If this guy had been a famous narrowboat chap then the canal would have been the right place, but this should go up at one of our sports pitches,” he said.

Coun John Roberts said Mr Trueman’s widow Veronica was supportive and Skipton should be proud to have the statue.

The statue will be unveiled on Thursday, March 18.