Following a lengthy, decades long spell of indecision, Southampton City Council finally gave the go ahead to Southampton Water's answer to New York harbour's world famous Statue Of Liberty.
In an extraordinary meeting running late into the night, councillors finally agreed on the project, hoping to increase the port city's profile as a major international cruise and cargo port.
Like New York City, but a lot smaller, and minus Broadway, the famous skyline, and anything remotely resembling Ellis Island.
The Southampton statue - The Statue Of Chastity - will be a bronze casing on a steel skeleton, 130 feet high, mounted on a 200 foot plinth on a man made island in Southampton Water, at a point midway between Fawley oil refinery and the Hamble Le Rice peninsula.
The statue will depict a typical Southampton fishwife, carrying a basket of whelks, and pointing in the general direction of Derby Road, in the city.
In order to cement relations with neighbouring Portsmouth, it was announced that plans are afoot to have legendary lady of the night, Pompey Lil, to perform the opening ceremony upon completion of the project.
It is thought that the statue will be visible to the naked eye from as far away as the Isle of Wight.
Southampton's sizable Polish community embraced the project with open arms and vowed to undercut any tenders submitted by similarly qualified British nationals.
A Manchester souvenir firm based in Cheetham Hill is already producing commemorative tee-shirts to mark the event, and have promised a plethora of cheap affordable tat and crap burger vans peddling salmonella for the big day.
More as we get it.
