Student excited at plinth project

Heather Pringle will be celebrating her 20th birthday on the plinth

A Northumberland student said she is excited about the prospect of being part of a living statue project in Trafalgar Square.

Angel of the North creator Antony Gormley's One and Other project started on Monday with the first person taking their position on the fourth plinth.

Heather Pringle, from Hexham, who is a fine art student at Leeds University, will celebrate her 20th birthday there.

She said she was hoping to find a local bakery to make her a cake.

For the project a different person will stand on the plinth every hour for the next 100 days.

Represent community

Housewife Rachel Wardell, from Lincolnshire, was the first to stand on the plinth after a protestor scaled it minutes before the event was due to begin.

Ms Pringle said: "It is really exciting. I'm so pleased I got chosen.

"To be part of an actual living portrait by Antony Gormley is just unreal."

She said she had never done anything like this before and that it was going to be "a bit scary but good all the same".

She said: "It's my birthday so I will be having birthday celebrations up there. I am currently thinking about getting a local bakery business to make me a cake so I can represent my local community at the same time."

Her slot is at 0200 BST and family and friends are planning to go to see her while she is on the plinth.