<b>EXCLUSIVE
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.</b>

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 Ed Sheeran 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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