English town to burn Lance Armstrong in effigy

Artist Frank Shepherd poses with his creation of U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong who has been unveiled as this year’s Edenbridge Bonfire Society celebrity guy, during an unveiling for the media in Edenbridge, England, Wednesday Oct. 31, 2012. The Edenbridge Bonfire Society has a long tradition of building symbolic effigies of famous people to burn during their Guy Fawkes bonfire night, and this year it will be disgraced Tour de France cyclist Lance Armstrong who gets torched for his villainy in sport. (AP Photo / Gareth Fuller, PA)

LONDON — His career is in ruins and now an effigy of Lance Armstrong is about to go up in smoke.

The disgraced American cyclist has been chosen as the latest celebrity to be burned in effigy during an English town’s nationally famous Bonfire Night celebrations.

Edenbridge in southeast England has built a 30-foot (9-meter) model of Armstrong, who was stripped recently of his seven Tour de France titles for doping offenses.

The effigy, to be burnt Saturday, sports a sign saying “For sale, racing bike, no longer required.”

Towns across Britain light bonfires and set off fireworks on Nov. 5 to commemorate Guy Fawkes’ failed plot in 1605 to blow up Parliament.

The bonfires are traditionally topped with an effigy of Fawkes but have been decorated with contemporary figures over recent years.

Previous Edenbridge effigies include comedian Russell Brand and soccer star Wayne Rooney.