David Gray's pictures of the week 10-9-2007

DAVID GRAY photography
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Brighton's statues, the subject of this week's picture feature, have been in the news. On the plus side, a statue of Max Miller (the risque music hall comedian) has been unveiled in the city centre. More negatively, last week saw the theft of a statue of Steve Ovett (the Olympic runner) from Brighton's Preston Park. The police have found, fittingly, one of Ovett's legs, but the rest of him is feared to have been melted down for scrap. This is very sad, since Brighton, despite having some fine statues, does not have as many as the place really deserves. Where, for example, are Laurence Olivier, Aubrey Beardsley and Patrick Hamilton - all with strong local connections. In fact, with Nelson Mandela now on a plinth in Parliament Square, it seems you don't even need to be either dead or have lived somewhere to be commemorated there. Of course Brighton can't lay claim to the undeniable greatness of Mandela, but it could certainly have a better display of famous residents in its streets and parks.

All that was left of Steve Ovett's statue in Preston Park after its theft in September 2007 (image 2739-2)

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