A statue honouring Marlow Bottom’s most famous son will finally be unveiled this spring – after 14 years of effort from villagers.

Marlow Bottom Residents’ Association’s effort to install an effigy of Sir Steve Redgrave at the gateway to the village has been dogged with problems since the project began.

Setbacks including a row over licensing issues with the International Olympic Commission have delayed the project until now.

But the village will welcome Sir Steve to officially unveil the metal statue on Sunday, May 3 as a permanent reminder of his five-time Olympic gold medal winning success.

Peter Borrows, who has been involved with the project since the beginning, said: "It has taken nearly as long to get it completed as it took Steve to win the medals.

“It has finally been fabricated and the foundations will be laid in the next week.

“I went to look at the finished statue and it looks great, I think Steve will like it. It celebrates rowing, which is something I’m sure Steve will appreciate.”

The sculpture will stand at the entrance to the village, at the junction of Marlow Bottom and Wycombe Road near the Rebellion Brewery.

Marlow Bottom Residents’ Association has received permission from Buckinghamshire County Council to erect the statue at the roadside.

Sir Steve - who was Great Britain’s most decorated Olympian until he was usurped by Sir Chris Hoy - grew up in Marlow Bottom and attended Great Marlow School.

The former rower, who celebrated  his 52rd birthday last week, has already been immortalised in bronze, with a statue in Higginson Park overlooking the river and Marlow Rowing Club, where he serves as club president.