{"id":539014,"date":"2025-10-31T03:47:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T03:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/539014\/"},"modified":"2025-10-31T03:47:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T03:47:22","slug":"there-were-plans-for-a-big-f-off-wheel-now-a-giant-embryo-has-appeared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/539014\/","title":{"rendered":"There were plans for a \u2018big f***-off wheel\u2019, now a giant embryo has appeared"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The giant artwork is to celebrate an underacknowledged part of a Greater Manchester borough&#8217;s past.<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_The-giant-embryo-outside-Boundary-Park-Stadium-Oldham.jpg\" alt=\"The giant artwork is to celebrate an underacknowledged part of a Greater Manchester borough's past.\u00a0\" loading=\"eager\"  \/>The giant artwork is to celebrate an underacknowledged part of a Greater Manchester borough&#8217;s past.\u00a0(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">An \u2018unusual\u2019 giant artwork has been erected outside Boundary Park stadium in <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk\/all-about\/oldham\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Oldham<\/a>. The eight-metre tall embryo was put up by local legend and football club owner Frank Rothwell.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">The design celebrates Oldham\u2019s crucial role in developing IVF technology \u2013 and is supposed to act as a prototype for a 30m (100-foot) high sculpture at the side of the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk\/all-about\/m60\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">M60<\/a>, according to Rothwell.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">The Oldham-born businessman had previously revealed plans to build a \u2018big f***-off wheel\u2019 to mark the entrance to Oldham borough. The idea was to use something eye-catching to attract visitors to the area and celebrate positive aspects of Oldham\u2019s past.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"UnorderedList_unordered-list__gzblI\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"unordered-list\" publication=\"men\">\n<li class=\"sc-700e1ff3-0 VljCu\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Join the Manchester Evening News <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">WhatsApp<\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> group <\/strong><a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/chat.whatsapp.com\/LUaHo8T8DDWDaHg65G29aN\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"HERELink opens in a new tab.\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">His designs for the wheel have now evolved to focus on the areas medical research history, the MBE-holder revealed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">The prototype shows a line drawing of a baby in utero inside a giant cog representing the town\u2019s industrial past.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761882441_209_0_The-giant-embryo-outside-Boundary-Park-Stadium-Oldham.jpg\" alt=\"The prototype shows a line drawing of a baby in utero inside a giant cog.\" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>The prototype shows a line drawing of a baby in utero inside a giant cog.(Image: Charlotte Hall)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">\u201cIVF is one of the most important things that has happened in Oldham,\u201d Rothwell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. \u201cIt didn\u2019t happen in Munich or Beijing or even Manchester or London. It happened here. Millions of babies have been born around the world because of what happened in Oldham.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">Rothwell envisions the full-scale version as Oldham\u2019s answer to Antony Gormley\u2019s Angel of the North in Gateshead. He hopes it would attract visitors from far and wide to the borough.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">\u201cIt will be a secular shrine where people will come to visit and reflect,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">The embryo symbol honours the first IVF baby, Louise Joy Brown, who was born in Oldham in 1978, after groundbreaking fertility treatment developed by Dr Patrick Steptoe, Sir Robert Edwards and embryologist and nurse Jean Purdy.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_Anne-and-Tony-Johnson-both-72-vox-on-Oldhams-Embryo.jpg\" alt=\"Anne and Tony Johnson admit the artwork is 'a bit unusual'. \" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Anne and Tony Johnson admit the artwork is &#8216;a bit unusual&#8217;. (Image: Charlotte Hall)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">While locals described the feature as \u2018a bit unusual\u2019, the people who the LDRS spoke to on the street were largely positive about the project.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">\u201cThe first time I drove past it, I thought \u2018What the heck is that?\u2019,\u201d said Anne Johnson, 72. \u201cBut when I found out what it was about I was impressed. It\u2019s great that the football club is doing more for the local area.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">\u201cIt\u2019s definitely unusual,\u201d her partner Tony agreed. \u201cIt sounds daft. But if it can bring people in, bring businesses and investment to te area, there\u2019s nothing wrong with that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">And Alison Smith, 60, a retired civil servant, said she \u2018absolutely loves\u2019 the giant embryo artwork.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_Martin-Moody-45-vox-on-Oldhams-Embryo.jpg\" alt=\"Martin Moody had no idea what the giant embryo was about. \" loading=\"lazy\"  \/>Martin Moody had no idea what the giant embryo was about. (Image: Charlotte Hall)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">Alison said: \u201cAnything that represents the achievements of Oldham is a positive to me. I think there\u2019s a really poor perception of Oldham and anything that works to improve that is amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">The major Latics fan, whose house borders on the Stadium grounds, added that Rothwell had made a big, positive impact on the local community.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">Though not everyone is getting the message. Martin Moody, 45, who lives in <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk\/all-about\/ashton-and-mossley\" target=\"\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Ashton<\/a> but works as an accountant near Boundary Park, said he walks past the giant embryo every day because he parks at the stadium.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\" publication=\"men\">\u201cI had no idea what it\u2019s about,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI walk past it every day and wonder. But now I know, I guess it\u2019s a positive thing. Any artwork improves an area.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The giant artwork is to celebrate an underacknowledged part of a Greater Manchester borough&#8217;s past.The giant artwork is&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":539015,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,393,4884,2465,485,1286,64332,14984,285,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-539014","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-manchester","12":"tag-manchester-family","13":"tag-oldham","14":"tag-oldham-athletic-fc","15":"tag-oldham-council","16":"tag-politics","17":"tag-uk","18":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115466734992427944","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/539014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=539014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/539014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/539015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=539014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=539014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=539014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}