A GIANT £2.5m monument of a plane could be built by the side of the M6 close to Grimsargh.
The huge statue, featuring a military aircraft suspended on a plinth, is being lined up as a celebration of the area's aviation industry.
Land close to the motorway's junction 31a has been earmarked for the statue with landowners at Red Scar industr
ial estate, just outside Grimsargh, having been consulted about possible sites.
The scheme has been hailed as the most exciting legacy project for Preston Guild in 2012.
Talks are under way about the project, which is being led by giant aircraft manufacturer BAE Systems. The estimated cost of the structure is up to £2.5m.
Ken Hudson, leader of Preston Council, said the statue could help put Preston on the map in the same way the Angel of the North, a
66ft-tall artwork close to the A1, did for Gateshead.
Coun Hudson said: "It would be something that says, 'This is Preston. If you are coming down the motorway from London or Blackpool and saw that when you got to Red Scar, you would think, 'What a wonderful thing, like the Angel of the North'."
Historian Ron Freethy, who recorded a BBC radio series about aviation in Lancashire, said: "As long as this statue is done right
and is prominent enough, it's a brilliant idea."
BAE spokesman Alison Ramsay said: "Along with a number of other North West organisations, BAE Systems has been involved in discussions regarding this concept.
"Given our strong association with the North West, this is obviously of interest.
"However, discussions are at a very early stage and no commitment has been made. Once a business case is developed we will consider it on its merits."
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