All it’s good to know as locals fume at £80k statue which ‘seems to be like a kebab’
Need to know
It is supposed to celebrate the traditional use of china clay in St Austell, Cornwall, but residents are up in arms about the 38ft Earth Goddess statue, sparking a pitta row
A pitta row has broken out about the statue(Image: James Dadzitis / SWNS)
Need to Know: St Austell’s £80k ‘Kebab’ Statue Sparks Fury
- A controversial £80,000 ceramic statue in St Austell, Cornwall has sparked fury among locals who claim it looks like a giant kebab.
- The 38ft sculpture, called ‘Earth Goddess’, was erected in 2022 to celebrate the area’s china clay heritage. Around 90% of nearly 500 surveyed residents now support its removal.
- Business owner Jake Richards said it has become a “symbol of frustration around spending priorities and the perceived lack of meaningful public consultation”. The statue is said to be the UK’s tallest ceramic sculpture.
- Locals have relentlessly mocked the ‘eyesore’, with some nicknaming it “The Pork Sword”. One resident said: “It looks just like a kebab – it’s become a bit of an embarrassment.”
- Church leaders have called for its removal, claiming it is “offensive to God” and brings the town “under the spiritual influence of an earth goddess”.
- Sculptor Sandy Brown said moving the statue would not be practical, asking “who’s going to pay for that?” Labour MP Noah Law said pigeons are now nesting in it and there’s no proper management plan.
- READ THE FULL STORY: Locals praying for removal of £80k Earth Goddess statue which ‘looks like a kebab’
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.
