"I conjure to my friends on no account to make me the subject of any monument, memorial or testimonial whatsoever. I rest my claims to the remembrance of my country upon my published works."

Those were the words of Charles Dickens' will as he stipulated his wishes for his funeral in 1870. And for 144 years there has not been a statue of him in his homeland - until now.

On what would have been the author's 202nd birthday, a bronze statue of him has been unveiled in Portsmouth, the city in which he was born.

More than 40 of his descendants were at the ceremony and many helped to meet the £140,000 cost. But what would Dickens have thought?...