A campaign to build a statue of Carlisle football legend Kevin Beattie in his adopted home town of Ipswich is gathering pace.

Media organisations, fans and businesses in the Suffolk town are planning a lasting memorial to the great Botcherby player.

The initiative, titled ‘The Beat Goes On’, was launched after Beattie died last September aged 64.

He is widely regarded as Ipswich’s greatest-ever player and the £110,000 statue scheme already stands at £20,000 just two months after the appeal started.

A plinth has now been donated by businessman Mark Calver.

“We knew that if we could get the base sorted out then that would take a big chunk of the fundraising away, so we are closer to the target and it makes it more achievable,” he told the Ipswich Star.

“Kevin was a real supporters’ player. I think everyone has shown that with their support for the campaign, especially at the start of the campaign.”

The campaign was launched by the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star in conjunction with BBC Radio Suffolk and the TWTD website.

It is hoped the statue will stand on Portman Road.

For more details visit https://www.thebeatgoeson.website/

Rob Finch, author of Beattie’s autobiography which was recently serialised in the News & Star, has offered copies of the book at a discounted rate of £10 to anyone who donates £5 or more to the statue appeal. Email robfinch180@gmail.com.