Bid to install sculpture of local war hero in park

ARTWORK HONOURS PRISONER HELD BY JAPAN TO WORK ON 'DEATH RAILWAY'

- By CHRIS BINDING

The Len Gibson statue and the ambulance decorated and named after him

PROPOSALS for a new memorial statue in South Shields honouring "The Forgotten Army" and a local war hero have been lodged with council planning officials.

South Tyneside Council's development team has received an application for the installation of a new sculpture by renowned local artist Ray Lonsdale.

The moving artwork portrays Sunderland prisoner of war Len Gibson, who was held captive by Japanese forces and worked on the infamous Burma 'Death Railway'.

During his imprisonment, he was forced to labour on the notorious Mergui Road and, while detained, he constructed his own musical instrument and performed for fellow captives.

On his return to Sunderland, he motivated thousands of young people, including his neighbour - Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. As a devoted supporter of cancer charity Daft as a Brush, Len sponsored one of the charity's ambulances, with pupils at his former school, where he served as a music teacher, designing the artwork for the vehicle and christening it 'Len Guitar Gibson'.

Following his death in 2021 at the age of 101, the remarkable great-grandfather is due to be commemorated in statue form, with the artwork recently revealed on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, which signalled the conclusion of World War Two after Japan's surrender.