Beatles-Platz planned for Hamburg

The memorial will feature statues of the band atop a black record

Fundraising is under way for a sculpture in Hamburg marking the time the Beatles spent in the city in the early 1960s.

German radio station Oldie95 hopes to raise 100,000 euros (£68,000) for the project, located on the Reeperbahn in the city's St Pauli district.

The memorial will depict the four band members, plus 'fifth Beatle' Stuart Sutcliffe, atop a giant black record.

It is hoped the tribute will be ready by May 2006.

The opening would coincide with the World Cup Finals held in Germany next year.

It is also hoped Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr or John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono will attend the unveiling, said an Oldie 95 spokeswoman.

The statues will be cast in bullet-proof glass that will be illuminated after dark.

'Musical birthplace'

Beatles lyrics will be etched into the grooves of the record, which will be located on the corner of the Reeperbahn and Grosse Freiheit.

The Fab Four performed in the area many times during their sojourn in the city, most notably at the infamous Kaiserkeller nightclub.

It will be located in the area where the Beatles played in the 1960s

"Hamburg was the musical birthplace of the Beatles, but we don't have anything here to mark this," said Oldie95's Martina Mueller.

"Everyone thinks it is good for Hamburg, good for tourism and good for local people as well."

5,000 certificates worth 10 euros each have been printed to persuade fans to invest in the project.

Organisers are also seeking larger investors with an eye to starting construction in March.

Approximately 20,000 euros has been raised so far.

The memorial will be built by Hamburg architects Dohse & Stich, which beat two other local firms to secure the commission.