A statue of Oldham-born comedy legend Bobby Ball was unveiled in Lytham on Sunday, August 28, with many people in attendance.

Amongst those to attend the unveiling were Ball's long-running comedy partner Tommy Cannon and comedian Lee Mack, along with members of Ball's family.

Ball died on October 28, 2020, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital due to complications after contracting Covid-19.

Money was then raised in an effort to build a statue to pay tribute to the comedic legend, and in August 2021, the sculptor was commissioned.

The sculptor chosen was London based figurative sculptor Ben Twiston-Davies, who designed the seven-foot statue which now stands next to the theatre in Lowther Gardens.

The statue depicts Ball pulling on his iconic red braces while smiling and sits on top of a concrete base.

Born Robert Harper on January 28, 1944 in Oldham, Ball grew up in the borough and attended Crompton House C of E School in Shaw.

He met fellow Oldhamer Tommy Cannon while he was working as a welder in a factory, and the pair became one of Britain's top comedic acts for decades.

They were best known for their primetime Saturday night television show The Cannon and Ball Show, which aired on ITV between 1979 and 1988.

The duo also starred in the films The Boys in Blue 1982 and Mr H Is Late in 1988, with both going on to appear on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2005.

After the success of The Cannon And Ball Show, Ball appeared in a string of TV series including his performance as Lenny in Last Of The Summer Wine from 2005 to 2008.

He also played Topsy Turner in Heartbeat and appeared in Mount Pleasant, Benidorm and The Cockfields.

Ball had played Lee Mack's troublesome father Frank in the BBC One sitcom Not Going Out since 2009 and in 2012 competed in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special.