Dibnah widow's anger at vandals

The bronze Fred Dibnah statue was unveiled in April

The widow of famous steeplejack Fred Dibnah said she was "devastated" at a vandal attack on a statue erected in his memory in his home town.

Mr Dibnah's famous wire-rimmed glasses were twisted off the 8ft (2.4m) tall monument on Bolton's Oxford Street over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Sheila Dibnah helped unveil the statue on 29 April, on what would have been her husband's 70th birthday.

Mr Dibnah died aged 66 in 2004 after a battle against cancer.

Fundraisers gathered £46,000 to pay for the statue, which shows Dibnah in his trademark work clothes and his famous flat cap.

Fred would have had a few choice words for them Sheila Dibnah

Mrs Dibnah said: "I have been devastated by this. It has left a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Some people can only do things like this to make their mark in life. Fred would have had a few choice words for them.

"I'm at a loss to explain why mindless yobs come along and do this. This brings back some awful feelings for me.

"We were very proud when the statue went up last month because Fred deserved it. Hopefully it is the last thing that happens to it.

"Fred would have wanted it to be accessible to the people of Bolton. We may have to put railings around the statue," she added.

Brian Tetlow, chairman of the Fred Dibnah Appeal Fund, said talks would now take place about whether to replace the glasses.

Mr Dibnah, a father-of-six, started work as a joiner but after National Service fulfilled his dream to be a steeplejack in his home town.

His television career took off when he was in his early 40s and starred in the BBC TV documentary, Fred Dibnah Steeplejack.

Mr Dibnah was a great admirer of the Industrial Revolution and the Victorians - steam engines were his greatest passion.

He was made an MBE in 2003, a year after he demolished his last chimney stack.