Angler model refuses to take the bait

The man behind a fisherman sculpture criticised for not looking like a traditional angler has admitted he does not even fish.

Retired teacher David Evans was chosen by artist Luke Perry to model for the 5ft structure as part of a new art trail in Walsall Wood which was unveiled on Saturday.

The piece, which has been installed on the canal towpath near Walsall Wood Bridge, High Street, ran into some unlikely opposition from waterways chiefs who complained the depicted angler's hat was the wrong style and his rod was too short.

Today Mr Evans, aged 64, from Friezland Lane in Walsall Wood said he thought the objections were ridiculous and added he had in fact been wearing a fisherman's hat to pose for the piece.

Inland Waterways officials lodged objections saying the design looked more like someone fly-fishing – a practice associated with rivers and lakes rather than canals. They also insisted the trilby-style hat worn was not typical of canalside anglers.

Mr Evans said the complainants should get their facts right before lodging objections, adding: "I was wearing a fisherman's hat that had been loaned to me by Luke."

He also admitted that he has only fished once - when he was a teenager.

He said: "I'm not really an angler. I used to go and watch the people angling when I was a boy. The canal was a wonderful place, you could get a free place on a barge pulled by a horse for two miles and walk back down the towpath. "I did have a go at fishing once and I only caught one fish and I called him Bob."

Instead, David spends his retirement with his wife Christabel, 65, two sons, his boxer dog Gio and using his time to be vice-chair of the Brownhills and Aldridge North local neighbourhood partnership.

The chairman of Walsall's development control committee, who approved the design despite the objections, said he had been left bemused by the objections.

Councillor Melvin Pitt said: "I think there were one or two pretty bizarre comments from Inland Waterways.

Artist Luke Perry said the objections were "pedantic".

Chairman of Inland Waterways Lichfield branch, Phil Sharpe, said the organisation's gripes were "a matter of opinion".