'Roy the Redeemer' cheers on England squad for UEFA Euro 2012

Bugle Communications and Paddy Power have installed a 30m statue of England manager Roy Hodgson on the white cliffs of Dover.

Bookmaker Paddy Power commissioned the piece as part of its ‘We Hear You’ campaign, which responds to requests from customers on social media.

The statue is designed to inspire the England squad at UEFA Euro 2012 and to unsettle the team’s French rivals across the channel.

The sculpture, visible in its position on St Margaret’s Bay from the coast of France, was printed on 160, 22ml HDF panels each measuring 2.5 by 1.2m and weighing 32kg a sheet. 

Initial concern from the two companies about pixelation of the image as it was translated to fit the statue proved to be unfounded.

Paddy Power head of communications Ken Robertson said: "Blowing up an image to 30m could have been an issue but it did not compromise the integrity of the piece. The detail is so good that you can make out Roy Hodgson’s face from the coast of France."

A team of engineers took two months to produce the statue, which was printed continuously for 96 hours at Bugle Communications’ Sheffield plant. With an armspan of nearly 30m, the eight-tonne figure, modelled on Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, is supported by two cranes and took a week to install.

Robertson said: "Erecting a 30m structure on the white cliffs of Dover is not without its challenges and despite the best efforts of mother nature, we installed the structure successfully.

"We were very pleased with the piece – it is phenomenal."

Paddy Power said the piece is a symbol of hope for a time when expectations for success are so low. It aims to boost morale following the loss of key players Gary Cahill, Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry and encourage the England team in the Championship.

Robertson said: "Since Christ the Redeemer was constructed in Rio de Janeiro in 1931, Brazil has gone on to become the world’s leading footballing nation – we’re hoping that some of that success can rub off on England."