A CITY'S bronze statue of one of its greatest footballing sons was revealed yesterday to be sculpted from inexpensive fibreglass.

The tribute to the late Len Shackleton has stood in Sunderland for ten years and was admired by countless visitors to Shackleton House, the Inland Revenue centre named in his honour.

Those in the know suspected the figure was made of cheaper material, but all assumed the original bronze figure was being stored elsewhere for safe keeping.

But it has emerged that the fibreglass statue was the only one ever made, prompting angry complaints that it was done on the cheap.

The now defunct Tyne and Wear Development Corporation commissioned the statue from artist Graham Ibbeson, who was also responsible for the £35,000 statue of Eric Morecambe in the Lancashire town of the same name.

The truth about the Shackleton statue emerged after workers at the offices began an attempt to honour him with a dedicated room of memorabilia after his death in November at the age of 78.

Shackleton House manager Peter Kelly said: "Some people have always thought it was bronze because it had a bronze-effect finish, which was quite realistic.

"The whole thing was done on the cheap. I can't believe they cut costs in this way. Len Shackleton was one of Sunderland's greatest. Surely he is worth more than this."

At his home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Mr Ibbeson said the Shackleton statue was made using a process called cold-cast bronze, in which bronze powder is mixed with fibreglass resin.

He said: "It looks like bronze and it feels like bronze - but it is obviously not the same as using bronze.

"A full size bronze statue along the lines of the Eric Morecambe tribute would have cost £35,000."

Shackleton's son, Roger, however, was not concerned when told of the low-budget tribute to his father.

He said: "My dad always said that his ego had been satisfied long ago. I don't think he would have minded too much."