Superlambanana heading for its 'spiritual home'

May 31 2006 By Mike Chapple Daily Post Staff

Cllr Bradley's remarks came at the meeting as he was given a print of Chris Vine's witty creation the Trojan Lamb Banana, which plays host to a number of smaller lambananas. It was presented by fellow artist Alex Corina who is also co-ordinator of the Garston Cultural Village campaign which has been pushing for Garston to be the sculpture's next home.

Mr Corina said: "It's great news. "The Superlambanana has become an icon representing Garston and Liverpool's heritage of exporting lambs and importing bananas that combines both with humour. The other link is that not only was Garston docks the route for exporting lambs and importing bananas, but that the sculpture was made in Garston at the old Bryant and May factory".

Another campaigner for Garston is Professor John Ashton, Woolton-born director of Public Health for the North West.

Prof Ashton said: "Garston would make a perfect home for the lambanana. The local ship owner Sir Alfred Lewis Jones was a pioneer who not only imported and popularised the banana as a nutritional source of food for the working classes but was a founder of the School of Tropical Medicine in 1899 and also gave his name to the hospital in Garston."

The presentation followed the announcement of the results of a local referendum by the campaigners as to three potential sites where the sculpture should be sited in the area.

mikechapple@dailypost.co.uk