Miner sculpture unveiled in town

A sculpture of a miner has been unveiled as the centrepiece of a town centre redevelopment in Fife.

The revamped square in Lochgelly was officially opened by the leader of the council, Peter Grant.

The project has cost £350,000 and includes new seating and open spaces alongside the sculpture, which was created by Fife-based David Annand.

Inscribed with a poem entitled "God the Miner", the sculpture celebrates the town's coal mining history.

The poem was written by local poet William Hershaw and is inscribed in old Scots.

Mr Grant, said: "I'm pleased that Fife Council has been able to lead the transformation of this prominent site in Lochgelly..

"I have tried to make him look cracked and fractured like a coal seam"
David Annand
Scupltor

"Lochgelly should be proud of its mining traditions but we also want to encourage people to be ambitious for the future.

"The high quality of work that has gone into the square, so well set off by the inspirational works of David Annand and Willie Hershaw, has given the people of Lochgelly something they can be genuinely proud of."

Sculptor David Annand: "It's slightly mystical but the man is meant to look as though he is made of coal but he is in fact made of bronze.

"I have tried to make him look cracked and fractured like a coal seam.

"I was honoured to be asked to do it. It was such a privilege."

Lochgelly councillor Mark Hood said it would be a huge asset to the town which creates a focus.

He said: "What we are hoping to do is turn this into more of an asset and a living space where the community can set up farmers markets on a Saturday morning or some sort of entertainment running in the summer evenings.

"So it won't be a banal space where people just walk past it, it will become part of the furniture of the community."

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