AN AMBITIOUS appeal to bring a Morgan sculpture to the heart of Malvern is back on track.

The Morgan Motor Company itself has thrown its weight behind the project, adopting the appeal as its official charity for the year and planning a host of fund-raising events.

It was 2004 when the Morgan Statue Foundation first announced plans to place a life-size bronze statue of founder HFS Morgan and a 1958 Morgan 4/4 outside the Priory Gatehouse.

Organisers secured planning permission but were never able to attract the necessary funds and just a few months ago, with projected costs continuing to increase, they seriously considered closing the appeal.

However the support from the famous motor company itself has given the appeal a fresh lease of life.

Statue Foundation Roger Moran said: “There was a huge degree of uncertainty around October time last year, and we genuinely felt as though we would have to close the appeal.

“But we went into the factory and they really took it on board and that has given us a huge boost.”

Morgan is raffling one of its vehicles in aid of the appeal and Mr Moran hopes this will raise somewhere between £50-75,000.

The appeal has already raised more than £60,000 to date but Mr Moran acknowledges there is a long way to go, with the project now likely to cost “well over £300,000.”

“The cost has gone up since we first started out and a big factor in that is the price of bronze, which has risen extraordinarily over the last few years,” he said. “But we have received some generous backing, the factory has plenty more fund-raising ideas and we are writing to several major companies in the motor world to see if they would like to help.

“I would not like to put a timescale on it, and it is certainly not going to happen overnight, but we are determined that it is going to happen.”

Although the original planning permission for the statue has now lapsed, Mr Moran said another application would be submitted.

He added: “I think it will be a fantastic attraction for Malvern and the whole of the West Midlands and would bring enthusiasts from all over the world to look at it.”

Donations for the appeal, payable to Morgan Statue Foundation, can be sent to: Morgan Motor Company, Pickersleigh Road, Malvern, WR14 2LL.