News, Manchester
A memorial to TV star Fred Dibnah will be fixed in the next few weeks after being damaged eight months ago, a council has confirmed.
The stone tribute to the famous steeplejack on Churchgate in Bolton town centre was installed following his death at the age of 66 in November 2004.
Bolton Council said the stone had recently been remade and was being scheduled for installation.
It comes after businessman Dave Fishwick, whose life’s story was made into a Netflix film called Bank of Dave, said he would fund the repair work.
Speaking to Radio Manchester, Mr Fishwick said: “Fred Dibnah is a legend – that word gets used a lot but it really deserves to be there next to Fred.
“It’s a wrong and it needs putting right.
“Fred’s a legend – let’s just remember what he did for everybody – he inspired me as a child.”
Dibnah, who was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2003, became an unlikely television celebrity after he appeared in a local news programme repairing Bolton’s town hall clock in 1979.
He went on to be the star of 20 documentaries.
Bolton Council has since thanked Mr Fishwick for his offer and confirmed plans are already in place.
A Bolton Council spokesperson said: “Fred Dibnah is one of Bolton’s best loved sons, and his statue is a fitting tribute to him and our borough’s proud history.
“We are determined to return his statue to its former glory, and the stone has now been remade and is being scheduled in for installation in the next few weeks.
“In the meantime, we would like to thank all those offering to repair the statue free of charge, which underlines how much he is loved by locals and visitors to Bolton.”