Couple forced to hide Michelangelo’s David behind bush after complaints

For more than 500 years Michelangelo’s David has been admired by all but one couple say they have been forced to move their replica of the statue following complaints it was upsetting. Clive and Joan Burgess put the statue outside the front door of their new home in Stamford, Leicestershire.



But within days of moving in the couple were told by the warden of the sheltered housing complex, owned by South Kesteven District Council, “people did not want to look at him”. Now the couple have hidden the statue behind a shrub and a patio set in the garden of neighbour Sue Cullen.

The couple are shocked the statue has created such a stir. Mr Burgess, 71, said: “It is a timeless piece of art.” Mrs Burgess, 64, said: “The warden asked us to move him as people didn’t want to look at him. They think it is not tasteful. It was offending folk but I can’t see the reason behind it. I heard someone was going to buy a pair of pants and put them on him.”



Mr and Mrs Burgess bought the £100 statue from a garden centre five years ago. Neighour Sue said: “There has been such a hoo-ha over this. It is a statue, it’s fabulous. You are not telling me that children don’t see worse than that on television.”