October 13, 2020 12.27 pm This story is over 41 months old

Hammy the Haddock hopes to keep Cleethorpes beach clean

Hammy will feed on your recyclables

By Local Democracy Reporter

A 300kg metal fish has arrived in Cleethorpes in a bid to keep the beach tidy.

Hammy the Haddock is a handmade stainless-steel sculpture in the form of a giant recycling bin on Cleethorpes’ Central Promenade.

The structure is 4m long, 1.7m tall and around 1.2m wide, and was designed by Grimsby-based Blackrow Engineering.

It aims to encourage people to not litter on the beach and provide something different to put recyclable rubbish, such as plastic bottles and cans.

Hammy’s favourite food is plastic bottles. | Photo: NELC

Cllr Callum Procter, portfolio holder for Tourism, Heritage and Culture at North East Lincolnshire Council, introduced everyone to Hammy with a video on Tuesday.

The name was chosen as part of a contest run by North East Lincolnshire Council, with 11-year-old Lilly-Mai Halligan from Grimsby winning.

Lilly named the haddock after her uncle who died in January, Bernard ‘Buster’ Hammond, a well-known figure in the area as part of the beach safety team for over three decades.

You’ll do well to miss Hammy on the Central Promenade. | Photo: NELC

Lilly said: “My mum told me and my two sisters about the competition and we discussed what we would name the fish.

“We came up with Hammy as every time we think of Cleethorpes, we think of uncle Buster and it will be nice to have something to remember all the work he did.

“He loved the beach so it will be nice to know he will be remembered for keeping the beach safe, and now Hammy will help keep it clean and carry on his memory.”

A video of Hammy being brought into Cleethorpes and put into place was uploaded on Tuesday.