Five Swimmers Statue Set for Return to Public Display in Staines

A statue is scheduled to be returned to a town in Surrey, two years after its collapse which occurred following a series of vandalism incidents. Spelthorne Borough Council has announced that the “much-loved” Five Swimmers statue will be lent to the Berkeley Group, a property developer, for public exhibition at Eden Grove in Staines. Created by David Wynne OBE in 1980, the statue was initially commissioned for the Elmsleigh Centre, where it remained until 1997. It was then removed and subsequently reinstalled in Memorial Gardens. Joanne Sexton, who chairs the council’s corporate policy and resources committee, stated that Eden Grove provides “the best combination of visibility, security and accessibility.” The statue sustained damage during the 2014 floods and was subjected to multiple acts of vandalism before being placed into storage in 2022, incurring an annual cost of £1,000. Ms Sexton commented: “This option not only ensures the statue remains accessible to the public, but also provides the necessary protection against vandalism, allowing the Five Swimmers to be enjoyed safely for years to come.” Several potential locations for the statue were evaluated, among them its former position in the main square of the Elmsleigh Centre and the recently established Eclipse Leisure Centre.