IMAGINE moving the Eiffel Tower a few metres further to the left, or the Statue of Liberty just a little closer to Manhattan. The City of Copenhagen is considering something similar for its own iconic landmark - the Little Mermaid Statue.

Hans Christian Andersen wrote a fairy tale about her, Disney produced the movie and Copenhagen maintains a statue in her honour. The Little Mermaid continues to be the most popular tourist attraction in Denmark and one of the most photographed statues in the world.

But change is afoot. To protect the bronze statue from vandalism and reduce wear and tear, the Copenhagen City Council is considering moving the 1.25m, 175kg statue a few metres further out into the water.