A SCULPTOR has given children at a North-East primary school a sneak preview of his statue of a once-forgotten Second World War hero.

Keith Maddison has been commissioned by The Northern Echo to create the 9ft cast of Andrew Mynarski, the 27-year-old airman who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for trying to save the life of a friend on a blazing Lancaster bomber.

Pilot Officer Mynarski, from Winnipeg, Canada, flew from the Royal Canadian Air Force base at Middleton St George, now Durham Tees Valley Airport.

In June, The Northern Echo launched a £40,000 appeal to get a statue built there in his honour.

Pupils at Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, became the first to view the right boot of the statue when Mr Maddison, from Northumberland, paid them a visit on Tuesday.

"Taking it into a school is a bit unprecedented because the clay is still soft," he said.

"I'm up to the top of the boots and they alone are 2ft high. The children loved it and I talked to them for an hour, telling them the story of Andrew Mynarski.

"I'm going to keep them up-to-date with how I'm getting on," he added.

Plt Off Mynarski plunged to his death during a mission over France after trying to save the life of fellow gunner Pat Brophy, who was trapped at the rear of their flak-hit plane.

Mr Maddison will visit the hero's grave in France next week, taking with him a message from the Middleton St George pupils.

Headteacher Janine Gleeson said: "We wrote a message on the back of a cross with a poppy on it, which said 'We will always remember our forgotten hero'.

"The children were enthralled by the visit. They have set up a history group to learn about Andy Mynarski and it was a real honour to be the first to view part of the sculpture."

Mr Maddison revealed it may be possible to send a clay version of the statue to stand in Mynarski's home city.

"I have said to the Canadian air force that if they can arrange to get the thing over there, I will go with it," he said.

* Anyone who wishes to make a donation can send a cheque made payable to The Northern Echo's Forgotten Hero Appeal to: The Forgotten Hero Appeal, Newsdesk, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF