PEOPLE living in Saltburn are being asked for their opinions about a pair of sculptures which could soon take up residency in the town.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is asking members of the public for comments on the statues before its planning committee considers a scheme to site them in the town.

The sculptures - each more than eight feet high - reflect the town's Victorian heritage. One features Saltburn's founding father Henry Pease, the other is based on the railways.

The two statues, which will be the only pieces of public art in Saltburn, are made out of a variety of materials. They are the idea of Saltburn Improvement Company as part of a regeneration scheme for the town.

The possible siting of the statues has been moved from the railway station to the Valley Gardens and Rose Gardens in the face of criticism after a public display in the town's library showed images of the statues and how they would look in their new home.

Now people are being asked to voice their opinions once again before the borough council's planning committee discusses the future of the statues at its next meeting in March.

Saltburn resident Brian Kennedy is vehemently opposed to the scheme and is critical of the consultation process.

"They are being presented as a fait accompli. People should think they are works of art but I don't agree and there are a lot of other people who don't agree either. We are to be in the position where anyone who assembles something or other says this is art."

Saltburn Improvement Company secretary Joan Guy, the driving force behind the statues, said: "The library exhibition brought less than 40 comments from members of the public - about half for and half against. I have seen them and I was very pleasantly surprised. They are much lighter looking in the daylight and are very attractive and interesting to look at.