The three sculptures - Boll, Mercer and Gin - were the work of artist Ian Randall, and were part of five “Transition” pieces, which symbolised the growth of Blackburn as a town built on the cotton industry. Three of the sculptures on Church Street, Blackburn, October 2002 (Image: Newsquest)The £240,000 sculptures - commissioned by Blackburn with Darwen Council with the help of European grant money- each depicted a different stage in the life of a blooming cotton plantOnly one of the three pieces could be installed on the day due to ‘technical problems’. Work was completed in the following days.