Plans approved for Ray Lonsdale ‘Forgotten Army’ sculpture at South Shields Park

South Tyneside Council's planning department, this week, approved an application for the installation of a new statue by celebrated local sculptor Ray Lonsdale.

The evocative Corten steel sculpture depicts Sunderland prisoner of war Len Gibson, who was imprisoned on the notorious Burma ‘Death’ Railway by the Japanese.

As a prisoner of war, he was forced to work on the infamous Mergui Road and when interned, he built his own musical instrument and entertained fellow prisoners around a fire each night.

When he returned to Sunderland, Len inspired thousands of young people, including his neighbour, Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.

As a long-time supporter of cancer charity Daft as a Brush, Len adopted one of the charity’s ambulances, with the children at his former school where he was a music teacher creating the artwork for the ambulance and naming it ‘Len Guitar Gibson.’

After passing away on July 31, 2021, at 101 years old, the inspirational great-grandfather is set to be immortalised in a statue, with the artwork recently unveiled on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, which marked the end of WWII following Japan’s surrender.

The unveiling ceremony took place at South Shields Town Hall in August 2025 and there were hopes the sculpture could be installed permanently in North Marine Park by the end of the year.

Charity Daft as a Brush later submitted a formal application to South Tyneside Council’s planning department seeking permission to install the 2.7m high statue at the Grade II-listed North Marine Park in South Shields.

A supporting design and access statement noted Brian Bernie, founder of the Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care charity, commissioned celebrated local artist Ray Lonsdale to “create a distinctive and thought provoking piece of art” to “commemorate Len Gibson BEM”.

The document described Mr Gibson as “a local war hero” and noted the statue depicts him “handing his home made banjo to a young local boy as a symbol of peace and forgiveness, as he was released from far east captivity to come home”.

It was noted that “the finished artwork conveys sensitivity and emotion and shows Mr Gibson in the clothes he would have worn as a Japanese PoW”, with plans to “permanently display the artwork on a high point in North Marine Park".

The supporting design and access statement added the sculpture intends to "serve as a lasting tribute to Len Gibson, a local war hero and for all ‘The Forgotten Army’ who fought in Burma".

Those behind the plan added the statue would be “located close to the important junction of two footpaths” and would “face inland, towards Lawe Road, a residential road of terraced properties and marine villas."

During a council consultation exercise on the plans however, there were five public objections raising a number of concerns, including the "siting of the statue", impacts on users of the park and "loss of views", along with comments about the level of community consultation and who would be "responsible for maintenance of the statue."

Councillor David Francis, ward representative for Beacon and Bents, said a "statue commemorating a local veteran while promoting peace and forgiveness is a welcome addition to our borough’s cultural and historical landscape".

However, the ward councillor raised concerns about the specific siting within North Marine Park and potential issues around "visibility, accessibility, or integration with the park’s existing layout and usage".

Cllr Francis suggested that "alternative locations be considered, which may offer greater prominence and public engagement, while still remaining within the spirit of the proposal", including near Haven Point Leisure Centre, or the "paved area near the [town's] lifeboat", describing it as a "well-used and symbolic location that would provide a meaningful maritime context and a natural gathering point for visitors."

Other suggested locations included the "lower play park area and the bowling greens" as an "elevated position within North Marine Park [that] could offer a striking visual presence while maintaining harmony with the park’s landscape and recreational use."

After considering the planning application, South Tyneside Council's planning department approved it on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

Council planners, in a decision report, said a "number of residents have questioned the siting of the proposed statue, the appropriateness of the proposed works and the need for the works".

However, the council decision report said the statue is an "indication of both community spirit and the social development of the area" and that its materials would "integrate into the palette of the wider street scene and existing structures in the park".

It was also noted that the proposed siting "would not appear unduly awkward or incongruous in the wider park given the various existing items of public art in it and the locale" and "would not appear disproportionate in relation to the buildings and structures against which it would be viewed or overly prominent in the street scene".

On residential amenity matters, council planners said the statue's location would be a "significant distance" from residential properties "to the west of Lawe Road" and "would not have an unacceptable impact on the residential amenity of the occupants of nearby properties in terms of overshadowing or overbearing impacts".

The council decision report adds: "Given the distance of over 60 metres from the properties on Lawe Road and that the land slopes away to the east [...] the proposed statue would not lead to any loss of views but loss of a view is not a material planning consideration.

"Matters regarding pre-application consultation between the applicant and residents is not a matter for the planning system.

"Neighbours have been notified in writing and a site notice has been posted in respect of this application.

"Given the type and scale of development proposed there is no statutory requirement for a pre planning consultation exercise between the developer and local residents."

It was also noted that "future maintenance" of the statue would be "a matter for the developer, and this is not considered to be a material planning consideration".

While acknowledging suggestions of a different location for the statue, the planning department said it "must determine the application as submitted" and noted there had been no objections from statutory consultees over its siting and design.

This included no objection from The Gardens Trust or the council's historic environment officer, who said the development was "acceptable from a heritage perspective".

The council decision report adds: "The design of the proposed development would respect the character and appearance of North Marine Park, which is Grade II-listed on Historic England’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest, and it would not be detrimental to the visual amenities of the area.

"It is considered that the proposed development would not be materially detrimental to the residential amenities of the occupants of nearby residential properties."

A previous supporting design and access statement from applicants said the statue aimed to "enhance the park emotionally as many of the soldiers from this area never returned from the Bridge over the River Kwai, Death Railway in Burma."

The proposed design includes a statue "fixed to a rough hewn sandstone base", with the "rough finish to the base intended to represent the harsh environment endured by prisoners of war and also to discourage close contact with the statue".

There will also be an "interpretation board" at the statue site which is "similar in design to those located elsewhere in the park.”

Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care boss, Brian Burnie, who was a long time friend of Mr Gibson, privately funded the moving tribute.

The South Shields statue is the latest piece to be created by Ray Lonsdale, whose pieces can be seen around the region including in Seaham, St Peter’s Riverside and in Keel Square in Sunderland.

Mr Lonsdale, speaking earlier this year (July, 2025), said the “importance of this particular statue is that it’s for The Forgotten Army”.

“It’s for the people who were captured, tortured and worked to death in many cases,” he added.

“You see all the First World War statues, you see all the different aspects that are commemorated on a regular basis, so it’s nice to bring this story to the fore.

“I was contacted by Brian Burnie from the Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care charity, he thought a lot of Len Gibson, and wanted something created so these people were less likely to be ever forgotten."

Following planning permission being granted, charity bosses at Daft as a Brush hope the statue will be placed at the site by the end of this year.

Although a listed building consent application [ref number 250589] was also submitted to the council for the statue, this was withdrawn after the council advised "listed building consent is not required for the proposed works", planning documents state.

For more information on the plan and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250591

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