London to get naked, pregnant statue

LONDON, March 16 (UPI) -- London's historic Trafalgar Square will soon feature a statue of an armless, naked and pregnant thalidomide victim, The Guardian reported Tuesday.

The National Portrait Gallery voted to commission the white marble sculpture to fill the square's fourth plinth, which has been empty for more than 150 years. The 15-foot tall statue is of artist Alison Lapper, who posed for the portrait when she was eight months pregnant. She was born without arms and very short legs because of thalidomide poisoning in 1965.

Lapper's friend, sculptor Marc Quinn said work on the marble would begin this week.

A second sculpture tied for first place, and will be alternated on with "Alison Lapper Pregnant" in 18-month cycles. The second design selected was based on a brightly colored plastic model called "Hotel for the Birds" by artist Thomas Schutte.