A William Wallace statue "promised" for Ardrossan was today surprisingly unveiled outside the ground of Highland League football club Brechin City.

The Angus club's new memorial to one of Scotland's most iconic historical figures went viral on social media after news broke of the controversial statue at its ground.

Brechin City installed the so-called “Freedom” sculpture – based on a likeness of Mel Gibson from the Oscar-winning film Braveheart – at Glebe Park.

The artwork officially named the Spirit of Wallace, was created by Brechin artist Tom Church.

However, it has been claimed by Ardrossan man Alan Bell that the statue was promised to the Barony St John Centre by Mr. Church, as a gift to the centre for when it would be completed. 

Alan, who manages the Centre told the Herald: "The sculptor, Tom Church, had promised us the statue five years ago.

"I was in touch with him late last year to confirm that the church was sold but we were still hopeful that we could accommodate the statue within the extension plans we are working on for the former church hall building - so I can only assume he got fed up waiting and offered it to the football club instead."

The statue was targeted by vandals during a decade at the Wallace Monument in Stirling before being put into storage for several years.

Writing for the Herald in 2016, Alan said: "In 1292, Ardrossan Castle, just behind the Barony St John buildings, fell to the invading English army of Edward I.

"In 1296, one legend has it that Wallace and his men set fire to some buildings near the Castle and a small party of English soldiers left the Castle to investigate.

"They were immediately set upon by Wallace’s men who dressed in their uniforms and armour and went back to the Castle. Once there, they opened the Castle gates to let in the rest of Wallace’s men.

"The entire English garrison was slaughtered and their bodies were thrown down into the castle’s keep which became known locally as “Wallace’s Larder” and it is said that Wallace was so proud of this triumph that his ghost can be seen occasionally wandering through the Castle ruins.

"I had been explaining the Wallace connection to my two young children and, after watching the Braveheart movie, I promised to take them to The Wallace Monument in Stirling to see his sword (which is on display there) and the Braveheart statue of him at the base of the Monument.

"Imagine their disappointment (and mine) when we discovered that the statue was no longer there.

"A quick chat with the staff at the Monument and we discovered that the ‘Freedom’ statue had been taken away by its sculptor Tom Church in 2008.

"Not one to keep my kids disappointed, I found Tom’s number and gave him a call. He informed me that the statue was in his work yard in Brechin and agreed for us to visit.

"Now, it has to be said, some people felt inspired as the statue encompassed the true ‘spirit’ of Wallace as seen in the movie “Braveheart”, others felt it was too much of a Mel Gibson lookalike statue and only worthy of ridicule, and others felt it was simply a reflection of the many faces given to Wallace down through the ages.

"Tom asked about my charity’s project and when I mentioned The William Wallace Visitor Centre he made me a wonderful offer - he would give me the statue to put on display there."