THE unveiling of an eagerly-awaited statue of a famous nursery rhyme writer and her sister has been postponed.

Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell had been due to reveal the Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star statue in Colchester High Street this Saturday. 

The piece depicts Jane Taylor and her sister Ann, prolific writers of children’s poems who lived in the road next to Colchester Town Hall from 1796 to 1811.

One of the rhymes written by Jane, in 1806, was The Star, the first verse of which was later put to an existing French folk tune to give us the nursery rhyme known as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

Gazette: Tribute - The statue depicts Jane Taylor and her sister Ann, prolific writers of children’s poems who lived in the road next to Colchester Town Hall from 1796 to 1811Tribute - The statue depicts Jane Taylor and her sister Ann, prolific writers of children’s poems who lived in the road next to Colchester Town Hall from 1796 to 1811 (Image: Public)
Had the unveiling gone ahead as planned, the statue would have been debuted on the 200th anniversary of Jane's death.

Sir Bob has now expressed disappointment at the postponement, which he said is the result of unforeseen issues surrounding the installation.

“I am hoping the delay will be weeks rather than months. All very disappointing, but such is life," he said.

“The statue is made. Work is progressing on the engraved paving. Contractors are lined up for the physical installation.

"It is just that it was not possible to get all the pieces of the jigsaw in place for Saturday.”

The statue will eventually be located diagonally opposite the Town Hall, to the east of Pelham’s Lane in the double-width pavement in front of the Tesco store.

Sir Bob revealed the total cost of the project is more than £90,000 – all of which has been raised through donations and fundraising.

Gazette: Progress - Sir Bob Russell and Des Stanley during the development stage of the statue Progress - Sir Bob Russell and Des Stanley during the development stage of the statue (Image: Sir Bob Russell)
He added: “The statue journey commenced ten years ago. It has been something of a marathon.

"A delay of a few more weeks is disappointing, but using the marathon analogy we are in sight of the finishing line in the stadium but have found we need to run round the track a second time.”

Sir Bob says he has contacted more than 30 people to tell them of the postponement and will "issue new invitations when the new date is known".

He declined to say who would be performing the unveiling.