AN ICONIC statue will be removed from its plinth for repair next week.
The Lord Londonderry on horseback statue will be taken from Durham Market Place on either Wednesday, October 28, or Thursday, October 29, officials have said.
The statue could be out of Durham for six months and will return brown - not its distinctive green.
A spokeswoman for regeneration body Durham City Vision said conservation work was due to take place to avoid the statue falling into further disrepair and ensure its longevity.
The restoration will be carried out by Rupert Harris, a consultant to English Heritage and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
The statue’s repair is part of the £5.25m Heart of the City project, which also includes plans to move Lord Londonderry 19m across the Market Place - plans which have proved hugely controversial.
City centre vennels will be improved, along with paving, signage and lighting.
Durham county councillors will debate the statue relocation proposals in coming months.
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