Calls have been made to move a statue of two of Britain's best-ever Olympians from their 'insulting' position - in a car park.

The monument of Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent stands outside the River & Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxon.

But the museum was closed in September and now faces an uncertain future.

Barry Wood, a former mayor of Henley, said their location in the car park is now an "insult" to the decorated rowers."

Mr Wood, 82, said: "They put them in the car park. There's hardly any cars there. "

"When I went last week, there was a car parked in front of the statues, can you believe that? It's an insult to them. "

"I want to move them into the town."

The bronze statues, by artist Sean Henry, were unveiled at the River & Rowing Museum in January 2002.

The pair, who rowed at Henley's Leander Club, one of the oldest in the world, competed together in the coxless pair race.

Their sporting partnership produced three Olympic gold medals as well as seven World Championship gold medals, and won knighthoods for them both.

The statues were installed at the museum, which is also the Museum of Henley, following the pair's success in the coxless four race at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Mr Wood, a former trustee of the museum between 2002 and 2007, says he tried to convince his superiors to place the statues in the town centre, where they could be seen by visitors.

He said: "There is nobody like Redgrave and Pinsent. These are the most famous British rowers ever. "

"Nobody is ever likely to replicate what they have done. "

"Steve Redgrave appeared at five Olympics."

"I believe leaving them in the car park or them being sold is an absolute insult to who they are. "

"The Museum is now closed. As a charity, they have to realise the value of the assets. "

"We want to be on the front row if there is a sale. I would like to see them donated to the town. "

"But if they don't, we will have to try and raise the money. "

"The museum closing is a real travesty itself."

The River & Rowing Museum was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in November 1998.

But at the end of September, the museum – which stores 35,000 artefacts – shut its doors as it struggled with net losses of up to £1 million a year.

Museum bosses blamed the depletion of an endowment due to essential building works, and an increase in the cost of operation, for the closure.

Lifelong rowing fan Mr Wood, who was Mayor of Henley between 2005 and 2006, says during his days as trustee the museum had 102,000 visitors a year.

He said: "Henley is a very proud town. We have a great history. "

"I want the statues to inspire our kids with real role models and bring in tourists. "

"We can't afford to lose them. They're very important people. "

"I am scared stiff that everything's going to be sold overseas, or that some wealthy American will come in and purchase these statues."

Kevin Sandhu, the interim managing director of the museum, told the Henley Standard: "It's too early to say what will happen to the Redgrave and Pinsent statues but it would be good to think that in the fullness of time they will play a more central role in the town's landscape."

"However, for now we have to concentrate on the future of all 35,000 objects in our collection, not just one or two."

Meanwhile, rest assured, the statues are safe and secure."