It's been four years since a statue of a woman went up in Oldham town centre - but who is Annie Kenney and what did she do for working-class women's rights?

The Annie Kenney statue is a point of pride for many Oldhamers who are familiar with her history and what she managed to achieve for women and working-class people in the early turbulent 20th century.

Visitors in Parliament Square are also drawn in by the impressive figure which depicts Annie standing mid-talk with a book in hand and adorning a 'votes for women' sash.

Sometimes, flowers are even left at her feet.

Annie's story starts in 1879 when she was born in Saddleworth to a working-class family and sent off to work in the mills throughout her teenage years.

However, in her early 20s, she was captivated by a meeting in Oldham where Christabel Pankhurst spoke out about voting rights for women - and it wasn't long before Annie herself joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU).

The WSPU had been accused of existing to serve middle and upper-class women until socialist Annie, dressed in her 'mill girl' attire, came along to appeal to women of her background.

During a rally at Manchester's Free Trade Hall in 1905, Annie and Christabel challenged a government minister to implement votes for women, but the pair were thrown out and charged with assaulting a police officer.

The case shocked the nation as it was deemed the first time in the country women had allegedly used violence in the women's suffrage campaign.

While the arrest was one of 13 times Annie was put behind bars, she remained determined and was even put in charge of WSPU in 1912 - the only working-class woman to have assumed a position of authority at the organisation.

In 1913, Annie was then charged with "incitement to riot" and immediately went on hunger strike in prison.

She was the first suffragette to ever be released from jail under the provisions of the Cat and Mouse Act which was designed to temporarily release prisoners at risk of death from hunger strikes until they were well enough to be recalled back.

World War One rocked the suffragette movement but in 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave the vote to women over the age of 30 who were householders, the wives of householders, occupiers of property with an annual rent of £5 and graduates of British universities.

While Annie withdrew from political life after the Act was passed, her militant efforts for the suffrage movement are celebrated across the country to this day.

The Labour MP for Oldham West and Royton, Jim McMahon, reflected on the "inspiring" occasion the borough erected her statue on December 14, 2018.

The MP said: "Four years ago, Oldhamer's came together to unveil the stunning Annie Kenney memorial statue in Parliament Square.

"It was one of the most inspiring moments I've been lucky to be a part of for a number of reasons.

"Firstly, Oldham stood proud to celebrate someone who made a real difference, standing up for what she believed in.

"Secondly, it was the result of two solid years of fundraising events, school sessions, business events and the hundreds of hours spent by the amazing artist, Denise Dutton.

"Thirdly, the result was truly stunning, and acts as a focal point for the town today with flowers often left at her feet and tens of thousands passing by every year to ask: who is Annie Kenney?

"Keeping that story alive was the real prize", he added.

There is also a blue plaque memorial to Annie Kenney located on the wall of Leesfield Mill.