AN ESSEX warrior conquered in 991AD was defeated again yesterday after moves to place a statue in his honour were thrown out.A giant bronze statue of Saxon warrior Brytnoth has been sculpted and is ready to take its place in Maldon.

AN ESSEX warrior conquered in 991AD was defeated again yesterday after moves to place a statue in his honour were thrown out.

A giant bronze statue of Saxon warrior Brytnoth has been sculpted and is ready to take its place in Maldon.

The monument was crafted to commemorate the ill-fated Battle of Maldon in 991AD.

But plans from the Friends of the Prom, which wanted the statue to be given a home near the Promenade Lake in Promenade Park, were yesterday rejected by a majority of four to three at Maldon District Council's planning committee - a decision that went against the advice of the council's own planning experts.

The decision is the latest chapter in a saga that has already lasted far longer than the original Battle of Maldon.

Earlier this year, hundreds of people protested against plans to put Brytnoth - who stands at 2.7m with his sword aloft - near the end of the town's promenade.

At that stage, the council turned down the planning application.

The Friends of the Prom went back to the drawing board before coming up with an alternative location for the Saxon warrior - near Promenade Lake. That was the proposal turned down yesterday.

Resident and supporter of the Friends of the Prom Jamie Clay last night described the council's decision “disgraceful”.

He said a public survey had been carried out by the Friends of the Prom and the vast majority of those questioned wanted the statue placed at the site proposed.

Mr Clay added: “The council does not seemed to have listened to public opinion or their own officers. I'm gutted.”

During the meeting, Rodney Bass (Con, Great Totham) raised concerns that the plans, as they stood, allowed for two statues to be built rather than one.

Brian Beale (Ind, Southminster) said he wanted to make sure that if the committee gave permission for a statue, he wanted to make sure the statue put up was Brytnoth rather than another one.

Sheila Young (Con, Wickjam Bishops and Woodham) said: “I think it is far too near the kiosk. I would not put it there at all, I'm against it.”

The plans will now go before the full council, which will finally decide the matter.