A group that commemorates the life of the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, is looking for a new location to put up a plaque in his memory.

The Friends of Joseph Merrick group installed a black granite tribute seven years ago at the site of the former Gaiety Theatre, in Wharf Street, Leicester, where he is thought to have performed.

But several years later, the plaque was taken down by developers who planned to demolish the theatre and build a block of flats in its place.

The tribute was kept safe by representatives of Launch Padz developments, who gave it back to the group last year.

The plaque is currently with group founder Jeanette Sitton, who is working with the city council to find a prominent central location for the plaque.

She said: "It's a gorgeous looking plaque and it would mean to world to me to have it in a place where it can be seen by many people.

"It's just on my shelf gathering dust and it needs a resting place.

"Joseph was a son of Leicester and he needs to be commemorated.

"Ideally, I would like it to be on Humberstone Gate or somewhere busy in the centre of the city."

Developers said the plaque could be placed on the block of flats where the theatre stood but the buildings are yet to be built, but Jeanette believes it would not be fully appreciated there.

Leicester historian Derek Hollingworth, 64, said: "The plaque needs to go back up so Joseph is rightly remembered as one of ours and people are aware of that."

No-one from the city council was available to comment yesterday on where the plaque could go.

www.josephcareymerrick.com