Mancunians have been invited to collect a piece of history this weekend, in the form of a free book, as the huge Big Ben sculpture in the city centre is dismantled.
The giant monument in the shape of the London landmark has been in position at Piccadilly Gardens for weeks, as part of the Manchester International Festival celebrations.
But with the arts festival drawing to a close, the replica is set to be dismantled, and the books that made up its structure will be handed out to locals for free.
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The Big Ben Lying Down statue was created by artist Marta Minujin and has been a focal point of this year's MIF21.
The 42-metre monolith was built using 20,000 books and visitors have been able to visit - and walk through its interior - free of charge.
The break down of our own Big Ben will begin on Friday July 16, and the books will be handed out between then and Sunday July 18.
Each tome will be stamped with a drawing and a signature from Marta Minujín.
The books were selected by 12 local organisations, including the John Rylands library, the Manchester Jewish Museum, the Pankhurst Centre and the University of Manchester.
Literature written by the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Burgess, Caitlin Moran, David Baddiel, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Bernardine Evaristo and Lemn Sissay have all been used to build Big Ben Lying Down.
The oldest book, Common Sense by Thomas Paine, dates back to 1776, while the newest is Marcus Rashford’s You Are A Champion: Unlock Your Potential, Find Your Voice and Be the Best You Can Be, published earlier this year.
The giveaway will take place between midday and 10pm, Friday to Sunday.
Books will also be distributed to schools and libraries across Greater Manchester.
Speaking about giving the books away, Marta said: "People need this! We need new ideas and new places where people meet.
"By taking a book, people create the artwork. The people of Manchester will create a new Big Ben that the UK will never forget."
John McGrath, artistic director of Manchester International Festival added: "As MIF nears its close for 2021 we’re delighted that the people of Manchester can take home a piece of the Festival to remember this momentous year and this playful symbol that landed in the centre of the city."
This year's Manchester International Festival will finish on July 18.
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