Dream come true as surf statue officially unveiled
BBCA statue of a surfer riding a wave has been officially unveiled and handed to a town to celebrate its surfing heritage.
The 5m (16ft) £100,000 bronze waverider statue was donated to Newquay, Cornwall, by The Keogh Foundation in recognition of the town's rich surfing history and the family's longstanding connection to both the town and the sport.
The foundation was set up by Stuart and Cherrilyn Keogh who first ran a surf businesses in the town in the 1960s and the statue is part of their plan to give something back.
Cherrilyn Keogh said seeing the landmark known as The Surfer of The South in position was a dream come true.
The statue was first installed in April, but was officially handed over to Newquay Town Council and the Mayor of Newquay Drew Creek in a ceremony on Thursday.
The plans started in 2020 and the statue was created at the Morris Singer Foundry in Hampshire.
The council said the couple played a pioneering role in the industry, opening some of the town's earliest surf-related businesses, which included one of the first surf shops and surfboard factory.
It said it would serve as a lasting tribute to Stuart Keogh, who passed away in 2023.
Cherrilyn Keogh said she hoped it would "attract people to Newquay which will help the town and businesses and just put Newquay even more on the map".
The artwork was installed at The Killacourt, a site which the council said was chosen for both its "suitability and its significance".
Creek said there was a lot of discussion about its final location but "ultimately surfing started here in the bay in the 1960s, so we're marking that occasion with the Surfer of the South overlooking where it all began".
Business owner Simon Knight said "it's just something a bit different" and "I think it just fits here perfectly".
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