Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Jamie Grierson

‘King of Sheffield’ memorial built without permission, council says

A memorial honouring Willy Collins, who died in 2020, in Shiregreen cemetery in Sheffield.
A memorial honouring Willy Collins, who died in 2020, in Shiregreen cemetery in Sheffield. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

A row has reportedly broken out between a bereaved family and a council after a 37-tonne marble memorial to a former bareknuckle boxer featuring a solar-powered jukebox was erected in a cemetery in Sheffield.

Sheffield city council said the family of Willy Collins, who died aged 49 in July 2020 after collapsing while on holiday in Mallorca, did not seek permission to build the tribute, according to the Sheffield Star.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.