Don't panic! It's a bronze Capt Mainwaring!
Adam GrettonFormer Dad's Army cast and crew were reunited with an old friend at the weekend when a bronze statue was unveiled of the iconic television character Captain Mainwaring.Adam Gretton
Former Dad's Army cast and crew were reunited with an old friend at the weekend when a bronze statue was unveiled of an iconic television character.
More than 30 years after Arthur Lowe last reprised his role as Captain George Mainwaring, a permanent reminder of Thetford's links with the famous sitcom was revealed for the first time.
Hundreds of Dad's Army fans and autograph hunters gathered around the life-size statue between the Bell and Anchor hotels, which was officially unveiled by writer David Croft on Saturday.
Ex-cast members, including Bill Pertwee (Warden Hodges) and Pamela Cundell (Mrs Fox), also sat next to the bronze Capt Mainwaring sitting on a bench, which will become a focal part of the town's popular Dad's Army tours.
The celebration follows a three year campaign and fundraising by members of the Dad's Army Museum in Thetford to mark the years the sitcom was filmed in the town between 1968 and 1977.
David Croft, who wrote the 78 episodes with Jimmy Perry, said he thought the statue was 'absolutely marvellous' and was a 'frightening' likeness of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard captain.
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The landmark was made by sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn, who created the Sir Bobby Robson statue in Ipswich, and spent 1,100 hours on his latest creation.
The unveiling of the bronze Capt Mainwaring was followed by a parade of second world war and Dad's Army vehicles through Thetford and a stage performance of Dad's Army Comes Home at the Carnegie Room.
