Groundworks have begun for the new Queen Elizabeth II statue in Oakham.

Residents of Oakham, Rutland, witnessed the commencement of groundwork preparations this week for the installation of a statue honouring the late Queen.

The official unveiling ceremony for the statue is scheduled for sometime in April, with the exact date yet to be confirmed.

The statue serves as a "tangible tribute" to the United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch, who died in September 2023.

Groundworks Begin for Queen Elizabeth II Statue in Oakham (Photograph Martin Brookes)

Believed to be England's first permanent memorial to the monarch, the statue is due to be put up outside Oakham Library.

The statue has cost £125,000 but the vast majority has been paid for by private donation. It will sit on a 5ft stone plinth, with three corgi dogs also cast in bronze.

Last year planning permission was given by Rutland County Council for the statue to be positioned in the gardens in Catmose Street.

The highly contested statue of HM Queen Elizabeth II was proposed by Rutland's Lord-Lieutenant, Dr Sarah Furness.

Sculptor Hywel Pratley and Lord Lieutenant of Rutland with the bronze Queen's head (image via LDRS)