<strong>By Arthur Aspall, Entertainment Editor

A bronze statue of Ed Sheeran has been commissioned by Suffolk County Council to mark the singer-songwriter's connections to the county.</strong>

The work of art will be produced by students from the University of East Anglia in Ipswich, and is expected to cost local taxpayers £75,000.



Sheeran, who is today quoted as being worth £45 million in the Sunday Times Rich List, is said to be "delighted and honoured" by the tribute, which should be completed by August.

The life-sized <a href="https://www.suffolkgazette.com/news/revealed-ed-sheerans-secret-ipswich-song-list/">Ed Sheeran</a> statue, featuring the star standing up playing his trademark small guitar, will be placed outside The Steamboat public house in Ipswich, where Sheeran performed when he was first starting out.

<center><a href="http://www.suffolkgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/ed-sheeran-statue-e1461495711327.jpg"><img src="http://www.suffolkgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/ed-sheeran-statue-e1461495711327.jpg" alt="ed sheeran statue" width="777" height="629" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3450" /></a><i>Pride of Suffolk: Ed Sheeran</center></i><br><br>

Resin 12-inch copies of the Ed Sheeran statue will later be made available to the public for £19.99 at Wyevale garden centres, with any profits going to Suffolk Save Our Gingers charity.

A pal of the star, whose family home is in Framlingham, told the Suffolk Gazette: "Ed is incredibly proud of his Suffolk heritage. He's very humbled that the county wishes to build a statue in his honour."

The statue will be close to one of Cardinal Wolsey, who was another famous son of Suffolk.

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