Billy's bench is tribute to daughter

But the occasion was tinged with sadness for Billy and Joan Boston because their beloved daughter Angela didn’t live long enough to see the sculpture revealed.

Angela Dainty, 51, sadly lost her battle with cancer just weeks before despite being determined to live long enough to see her beloved dad immortalised in bronze.

However this week Billy and Joan were moved to tears when they discovered a bench has been installed in her memory in Believe Square just yards away from the great man’s statue.

Joan said: “Someone told us the bench was there so we went at the weekend to see for ourselves and we couldn’t believe it. It is absolutely perfect where they have put it.

“Billy was delighted and so was I.”

Wigan Council deputy leader Coun David Molyneux, who chaired the Billy Boston Trust, said: “As part of our commitment to support the installation of the Billy Boston statue we thought it was only appropriate to have a bench there as well - Billy’s Bench - as a place where he and others can sit and reflect and it also recognises the fact that Angela sadly couldn’t be there on the day.”

Later this month the surplus from the statue appeal will be handed over to two charities close to Billy’s heart, Wigan Youth Zone and a local dementia charity.