7:54am Wednesday 21st March 2007
By Simon Walter
The man who sculpted the controversial Ted Bates statue wants to make amends - by adding five inches to the legs.
Warsash artist Ian Brennan told the Echo he would pay for the alterations himself - but said he would not change any facial aspects of the controversial £112,000 monument.
Brennan, right, admitted to being "mentally shattered" after spending 18 months working relentlessly to a tight deadline to complete the project.
Since the unveiling last Saturday, he has been the subject of abuse from fellow Saints supporters after his e-mail address was released on an internet messageboard.
Brennan has promised to make amends by working for nothing to ensure a satisfactory statue for Ted Bates is completed.
But doubts remain whether he will be given the chance to do so - especially as a lot of the negative comments regarding the statue are to do with a supposed facial resemblance to former Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric.
Brennan told the Echo: "When I saw the statue on the floor in the foundry it looked as it's supposed to, but the plinth has had the effect of an optical illusion.
"I think that can be remedied by adding another five inches to the legs".
Full interview: see today's Daily Echo.
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