MOTORISTS driving into Bournemouth from the east will, for the next couple of weeks, see an aeroplane at the side of the Wessex Way.

It’s there to promote the upcoming air show, and a jolly good idea it is too.

But once the final fly-past has taken place, the plane will no doubt be whisked away until next year.

Which got me thinking – why not set up our very own Fourth Plinth, inspired by artist Anthony Gormley’s idea, and utilise that space year-round?

After all, thousands of motorists traverse that roundabout every day – not just locals, but holidaymakers, conference delegates, day-trippers and so on.

And, with the increasing spate of accidents causing long delays, they’ll have more time to admire the display as they sit in queues of traffic.

It surely wouldn’t take much to set up. After all, if you can put a plane there, then pretty much anything ought to be possible.

You could promote the town’s nightlife by erecting a pole and having a series of lady entertainers slithering down it, for example – although, on second thoughts, that might lead to more accidents than we already have.

You could have Cherry Bear cavorting ahead of a home game, or a static surfboard for show-offs similar to the one outside the restaurant at Pier Approach.

I remember as a kid going for day trips to Skegness, and how my heart missed a beat when we caught sight of the Jolly Fisherman sign on the outskirts, saying, “Skegness is SO bracing” (roughly translated, “It’s bloomin’ freezing.”) Surely Bournemouth could come up with something better – even if it’s only “Bournemouth is NOT as bracing as Skegness.”

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