OUTRAGED sixth formers at Westhoughton High School have entered the debate surrounding a controversial statue.

The teenagers were horrified when the sculpture of a mother and child was taken down from Ditchfield Gardens in the town. They accused older people in Westhoughton of being out of touch and said the art object was the only modern thing in the town.

And they said they didn't want the statue in their school because it should be put back in the town centre.

The £5,000 statue, based on designs by pupils at two primary schools and the high school, was taken down and put into storage after a chorus of complaints.

The vocal lower sixth students decided to put their views forward after debating the saga of the statue in A-Level general studies classes.

Peter Tasker, aged 17, said: "It was good because it was the only modern thing in Westhoughton.

"The minority have had their point of view.

"It's very childish.

"They didn't like it so they wanted it removed.

Joanne Lowe, aged 17, said: "It's a bit of an insult to the young people who made it, just taking it like that.

"It gave them something to be proud of.

"It's like they've wasted their time, just for it to have been up for a couple of weeks.

"Nothing changes around here, we get the same Christmas lights, and the same Christmas trees.

"There's nothing else in Westhoughton."

Julie Ryan, aged 16, said: "Nobody bothered to ask us."

Leanne Crompton, aged 17, said: "We are in the 20th century, things are changing.

"People have got to accept change."

Adrian Gerrard, aged 17, said: "If it had been Manchester or London, it wouldn't have been moved.

"Nelson's column was probably controversial when it was put up, but you don't get people asking for that to be taken down now.

"The young children who designed it could have shown it to their own children in years to come.

"It was the only thing that looked nice, the gardens and that statue."

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