A CURTAIN-RAISER to Liverpool’s latest public art project saw 22 of the city’s famous and not so famous names featured in an on-street art gallery.

Merseyside’s artists transformed William Brown Street and Whitechapel into a pantheon of legends with a unique trail of original art adorning lamp-posts in the heart of the city centre.

The new installation forms part of Liverpool Discovers, the follow-up to the hugely popular Go Superlambananas and Go Penguins public art trails.

One of the 22 Liverpool Greats featured, Ken Dodd, was present yesterday for the unveiling of the artwork, which also includes portraits of Olympic gymnast and Liverpool John Moores graduate Beth Tweddle, and former Dr Who Tom Baker, who was born in 1934 on Scotland Road and lived in the city until he was 15.

Former Spice Girl Melanie C is also included after she came top in a poll conducted by our sister paper the ECHO to name the city’s most inspiring artists, footballers, actors and politicians.

Among those notable for their absence in the list of 22 “Liverpool Greats” are comedian Arthur Askey; double Victoria cross recipient Noel Chavasse; radio DJs Kenny Everett and John Peel; actors Leonard Rossiter, Glenda Jackson and Kim Cattrall; and sportsmen such as Steven Gerrard.