Ipswich Town: Kevin Beattie statue gets approval Published duration 8 January

image caption Photos of "The Beat" have been close at hand while Sean Hughes-Quinn worked on the maquette

A statue celebrating Ipswich Town and England footballer Kevin Beattie has been approved by the local council.

Beattie was famed for his headers and sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn has captured him in his trademark mid-air pose.

Ipswich Borough Council voted in favour of erected the bronze tribute outside Portman Road, near existing statues of Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alf Ramsey.

Earlier this year a fundraising appeal for the statue reached its £110,000 target, eight months after its launch, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service

A sneak preview of the statue was revealed by sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn in September through a miniature prototype.

Finer details of the design are clearly visible on the prototype, known as a maquette, including the Ipswich Town badge, the ripples and folds in his team kit, Beattie's moustache and his clenched fists.

Mr Hedges-Quinn has previously said he wanted to "capture the very essence of The Beat" and having a standard football pose was "never going to be an option".

image copyright Sarah Lucy Brown/Archant image caption Kevin Beattie, known for his ability in the air, is captured leaping for the ball in the maquette by Sean Hedges-Quinn

image copyright Getty Images image caption Beattie in action for Ipswich against Barcelona in the Uefa Cup in November 1977

image copyright Sean Hedges-Quinn image caption The statue will appear at the entrance to the car park on the other side of Portman Road from the Sir Alf Ramsey statue

A campaign, called The Beat Goes On, was launched at the end of 2018 by BBC Radio Suffolk, where Beattie was a regular on-air contributor, in conjunction with local newspapers and the TWTD website.