THE Long Man of Wilmington could soon have a girlfriend.

A town councillor has put forward proposals for a giant figure of a naked pregnant woman to be carved on chalk cliffs above Lewes.

Coun Ruth O'Keeffe believes the landmark would be an unusual way to celebrate the millennium and the perfect sequel to Rodin's nude sculpture The Kiss, currently on display in the county town. Experts believe it would be the first female hill carving in the country.

Coun O'Keeffe, of Mountfield Road, Lewes, is masterminding the project with her husband Kieran.

They have been holding preliminary negotiations with Norwich Union, which owns the land above Cliffe Industrial Estate where the figure would be located, and will put her idea before Lewes Town Council.

She said: "I like the idea of celebrating women as they really are. It would be nice to have a hill carving of a female instead of just another man or animal.

"It would be saying Lewes has moved on since the times when they sat on the head of The Kiss to watch boxing matches and would be an interesting work of art."

She believes the carving, who would be named Millennia, should be bold and experimental to fit in with the 21st century.

And she said it would also make the perfect partner for the tallest man in Sussex, the 240ft Long Man of Wilmington, near Eastbourne.

Coun O'Keeffe added: "He needs a friend. Poor man, he

hasn't got anybody at the moment.

"One thing about The Kiss is people in Lewes were quite upset about it at the time and didn't feel they wanted it in the town.

"I went to see the play and it was about how there were fears the statue would incite soldiers to run away with women. So, the carving would be the perfect sequel to The Kiss!

"We have to be bold. The carving would celebrate women in a quite factual way. It would say this is what they really look like."

The couple came up with the brainwave over a dinner party with friends and Kieran, who has studied carvings all over the country, produced a drawing of what they thought the pregnant woman should look like.

Traditionally, the local community would get together for a day to maintain hill carvings.

Coun O'Keeffe said reaction from the local community towards the plan had been mostly positive. She said: "They have said it's outrageous or very funny but no one has said it's a dreadful idea."

Martin Brown, assistant county archaeologist, said it would be difficult to keep the pregnant figure in pristine condition because the hill is very steep.

But he added: "Why not? It would be a good image for the new millennium, a symbol of birth and hope. Good art is always challenging."

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