COUNCILLORS in the late Mo Mowlam's constituency have not ruled out a statue in her memory, even though the former Redcar MP might have baulked at the prospect.

A group is being set up by Redcar and Cleveland Mayor Peter Spencer to see how the borough can keep her memory and spirit alive.

He has invited three former mayors, all serving councillors, to help collate ideas from the public.

These will include a memorial event in the near future and a longer-lasting memorial to Dr Mowlam, who died last month aged 55.

The group will include Labour's Vilma Collins, a long-time friend of Mo's and her election agent in 1987, Madge Moses, of the Lib Dems, and Conservative Norah Cooney.

Mayor Spencer said: "The three former mayors and myself know how much Mo meant to our community, and now we want to try and assemble people's thoughts and ideas."

Five years ago, the former MP and Northern Ireland Secretary appeared on BBC2's Room 101. When asked to nominate items she disliked, she included statues defaced with pigeon droppings.

Coun Spencer said: "That sounds typical Mo. Obviously a lasting memorial to Mo does not have to be a statue, but we are not ruling anything in or out at the moment."

Dr Mowlam's successor as MP, Vera Baird, suggested an annual memorial lecture, while Teesside artist Steve Tomlinson has put forward the idea of circular seats in the town aimed at embodying her spirit of bringing people together.