CELEBRITY chef Keith Floyd, who grew up in Wiveliscombe, now has a permanent memorial in the town.

A bas relief plaque of the raconteur, renowned for his groundbreaking approach to TV cookery, has been put on a wall at the top of Silver Street, where he lived as a child.

It is the work of Wiveliscombe sculptor John Alder, who spent years fundraising through the Keith Floyd Memorial Project following his death in 2009.

John said: “The idea originally was to put up a bronze, life-size statue but we couldn't get the funding so went with the plaque.

“I thought it would be a way of celebrating Keith's achievements because he is a man who made a difference.

“Whether you like him or not what he did for English cooking was quite remarkable.”

Keith grew up in the town and attended Wellington School, before the start of a flamboyant playboy lifestyle.

His days in Wiveliscombe are ones he looked back on fondly, saying in 2005 his time there played an 'important part' in his life.

In a chequered career, he was an army officer, a journalist, a dishwasher, a bartender, a cook, a restaurateur, with restaurants in France, Spain, Britain and Thailand.

He wrote dozens of books and presented a number television series, which were screened around the world as he shot to fame.

After dying from a heart attack in 2009, aged 65, the culinary world paid tribute to the eccentric restaurateur.

Somerset County Gazette: BON VIVEUR: Keith Floyd revolutionised TV cookery shows

Marco Pierre White said: “He was a great supporter of the culinary industry, inspiring many - myself included - to pursue cooking.”

A steering group, headed by John, was set up to guide the project in memory of one of the town's greatest sons.

Funding for the sculpture was raised by donations, a proportion of which came from some of the celebrity chefs who admired Keith's legacy.

For more about the Keith Floyd Memorial Project, click here.