Leave our Eric alone...

A three week poll of local opinion by the Citizen has come to the conclusion that the resort's Eric Morecambe statue is absolutely right where it stands - facing the public.

The debate was sparked when internet trader Steve Kerensky said he believed that the promenade statue honouring Morecambe's most famous son was facing the wrong way.

He said Morecambe and Wise always faced away from their audience when they ended their show with a dance - which is reflecting in the pose of the statue.

Eric should therefore be facing the sea and have his back to the audience on Marine Road, argued Poulton man Steve.

But his view has been roundly condemned by the vast majority of people who responded to the Citizen poll.

The first week brought a 50-50 split in replies to our simple question Should Eric be turned round?' But the no' vote has taken over in the last two weeks.

Here are a sample of the responses sent in by Citizen readers.

* ERIC should be facing and chatting to his fellow Sandgrown'uns as they go about their daily lives. This statue has been a Godsend to tourism in Morecambe - all those visitors having their photos taken beside it.

Anne and Gordon Arkwright, Torrisholme.

* WHAT is this man Steve Kerensky thinking about? The Eric Morecambe statue is the best thing (perhaps the only good thing) that has happened to Morecambe for donkeys years. Of course it doesn't want turning round.

Barbara Kemp, Lancaster.

* THE photos in the Citizen are all that is needed to confirm the statue should be left as it is. If it was the other way round you would not had the wonderful views of the Bay as a background t.

J Beaty, Morecambe.

* I CANNOT agree that the statue should be turned around. Eric would never have turned his back on his home town!

John Nickson, Torrisholme.

* I THINK the money it would cost to turn Eric around could be better spent elsewhere in view of future developments in Morecambe.

Pamela Smith, Morecambe.