TWO of the new statues for Blackburn's pedestrianised Church Street have been returned to the artist after a mix-up prevented them being installed.

Workmen were forced to send back two of the five works of art in the Transitions series after the fibre optic cables used in the sculptures were too short to be fitted into electricity supplies, prompting a four-week delay.

The Transition pieces, which symbolise the growth of Blackburn as a town built on the cotton industry, will run up the centre of the newly-pedestrianised Church Street.

All five were due to be in place by now, but earlier this year the council said only four would be on time. The fifth, the largest, will arrive early next year.

The £240,000 sculptures, commissioned by Blackburn with Darwen Council with the help of European grant money, each depicts a different stage in the life of a blooming cotton plant.

When fully installed and switched on, the sculptures, the centrepiece of the Church Street regeneration scheme, will burst into life with water features and fibre optic lights.

They are designed to "help create and accentuate a different atmosphere in the street at different times of day."

But only one, called Mercer, was installed last week when workmen arrived. The other two, Boll and Gin, have been sent back to artist Ian Randall for new fibre optic cables to be installed. The council is confident they will be ready to install with the remaining statue at the end of this month.

Coun Andy Kay, in charge of regeneration at the council, said: "Two statues could not be installed as the fibre optics were not long enough to make the proper connections.

"However, the first one, Mercer, is now on Church Street and people can already see how distinctive and eye-catching it is. I can promise that they won't be disappointed when the others are installed."

Mr Randall, who designed "Remnant Kings" on the Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail, said he used the idea of a cotton plant to symbolise Blackburn's growth as it was vital in shaping its fortunes from an old market town through to today, and its future hopes of becoming a city.