George Harrison widow turns down petition for late guitarist's statue

George Harrison's widow Hospital has rejected calls for a statue of her husband in the town he called home, it has been revealed. Olivia had given her blessing for a tribute to honour her husband's links to Henley-on-Thames, Oxon, but she turned down a petition from 2,000 town residents who had called for a memorial of the ex-Beatles guitarist.

Instead she has pledged her support to a music festival or community project in his name rather than a bronze statue, the Mirror reported. The 64-year-old still lives in Friar Park, the 120-roomed Victorian mansion she shared with George until his death in 2001 from lung cancer at the age of 58.

She said after many years of thoughtful consideration, and with great appreciation of the sentiment towards George, they had decided that a more appropriate way of honouring his memory in Henley would be to support a community project, the details of which will be announce in the summer.