A COUNCIL leader has denied reports that a monkey statue was to be given an explanatory plaque.

The monkey statue, situated on Hartlepool Marina, represents a legend that a monkey was mistaken as a French spy in the Napoleonic War and hung.

The Daily Telegraph reported that a sign was to be placed on the statue following conclusions in a report from June 2020 that it could be "misused by those with differing agendas to portray Hartlepool as unfriendly towards foreigners".

However, the BBC reported that the council leader Shane Moore said "no action needs to be nor will be taken".

Hartlepool Council have been approached for comment.