Shrewsbury Lord Hill statue cordoned off over safety fears

The statue of Lord Hill on top of The Column in Shrewsbury is set to be inspected after small pieces of debris from the statue fell to the ground.

Shropshire Council has cordoned off the public area at the bottom of The Column and is arranging an inspection of the statue to determine its condition and if any repair work is needed.

The safety measures will remain in place until further notice.

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for housing and assets, said: “Lord Hill famously fought in a number of battles, but his biggest enemy is undoubtedly the weather, especially heavy rain, frost and wind.

“The historic monument is maintained on a regular basis by us, but unfortunately the recent bad weather has not been kind to the fragile statue.

“As you would expect, our priority is to ensure the safety of people passing by The Column, so we’re arranging a specialist assessment of the statue to determine what action may be necessary.”