George Harrison memorial scrapped

Oct 18, 2006, 15:44 GMT

George Harrison's planned memorial has been abandoned.

The former Beatle died almost five years ago but the proposals for a statue or memorial garden dedicated to his memory in Henley-on-Thames, where he lived for over 20 years, have now been dropped.

Mayor Barry Edwards told Britain's Daily Express newspaper: "We proposed a memorial and this has now been with the family for three years, but they're not keen on it being in the town. They preferred something along the river where he used to walk. Things haven't moved on and I'm sorry to say that there's now nothing planned."

Harrison's widow Olivia had been in talks with the small Oxfordshire town's council about the suggested memorial for several years but negotiations have been difficult.

One member of the community controversially said Olivia - mother of the late Beatle's only child son Dhani - needed to be "kicked into gear".

Liverpool-born Harrison died from cancer in 2001 but lived in Friar Park mansion, just outside Henley-on-Thames for the latter part of his life.

A source said: "It's sad news that there's going to be no tribute. Everyone assumed there was going to be some kind of lasting memorial which people could visit for years to come. As the area's most famous resident, surely George deserves to be remembered in some way?"

(C) BANG Media International