PLANS for a statue to honour a Marlow legend are finally approaching the finish line after an Olympian effort to get the go ahead.

Marlow Bottom Residents Association has been trying for years to install a commemorative effigy to five-time Olympic champion Steve Redgrave at the entrance to the village.

But hurdles including a row over licensing issues with the International Olympic Committee have delayed the project until now.

But with a new design ready to go and planning permission for the roadside site near Rebeliion Brewery in the bag, chairman Peter Borrows hopes the long-awaited project is now on the horizon.

He said: “We need a licence from Bucks County Council but we’re just about to do that so hopefully it won’t be too long.

“It will have taken almost as long to get this sorted as it did for Steve to win his five gold medals!”