The Spirit of Lowestoft

We see, hear and read so much about immigration today - the good, the bad and the ugly - that we sometimes forget that this is nothing new, until reminded of the fact by the public art seen in our streets, and in literature.

On my visit to Lowestoft, once a major port of entry although now sadly in decline, overtaken by the development of the massive container port at Felixstowe, the largest in the UK, I saw this imposing life sized stainless steel representation of five Bewick Swans flying in from the sea - a landmark sculpture by metal sculptor Charles Normandale, inspired by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s story The Wild Swans - a reminder of historic immigration.

The sculpture, which stands 8 metres tall towering over Station Square, was commissioned by the local council as recently as 2006, in recognition of the town's history.

TODAY'S EXTRA: "Something completely different.  (Remember these from the 1950s?)