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Brave Laura is top banana

Ailsa Cranna
19/ 6/2008

A BUDDING artist battled a life threatening illness to become one of the stars of the Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 celebrations.

Laura McCreech, from Whitefield, is waiting for a double lung transplant but that didn’t stop her from beating over 100 contestants in a Granada TV contest to decorate an iconic sculpture.

The superlambbanana artworks, which look like a lamb from the front and a banana from the back, are dotted all over Liverpool and have become the cult mascot of the 2008 capital of culture festivities.

Laura, 28, of Hillside Avenue, said: "I’m amazed I was picked, particularly as I only heard about Granada’s competition at the last minute and just about got my entry in before the deadline.

"The theme was I Love Granadaland, to reflect the region covered by Granada, so I designed hearts which had in their centres, famous landmarks or celebrities, such as Blackpool Tower, Eric Morecambe and so on.

"A professional artist did most of the work, and just left me to do the animals. My statue is now on display in the Metquarter shopping centre in Liverpool.

"My mum and I are going next week to see it to have our photographs taken in front of it."

Laura, a former pupil at St Monica’s RC High School and Holy Cross College, was diagnosed four years ago with pulmonary hypertension, which means her lungs do not function properly.

She is now on the waiting list for a double lung transplant but, despite this, has managed to complete her teacher training at Manchester University.

Her proud mum Margaret, 55, said: "Of course I’d be proud of Laura, whatever she did, but the way she has battled appalling ill-health to complete her training - and now win this contest - just makes me even prouder.

"She absolutely refuses to let anything get her down. She didn’t tell anybody at Granada she was actually very ill because she didn’t see it as relevant.

"That just shows what a determined and brave person she is.

"She wanted to win the competition on her own merits.

"And in the end - that’s exactly what she did."