A statue of a popular duck who went missing from the grounds of the University of York has been unveiled live on air during the Radio 1 Breakfast Show.

Host Greg James, dressed in black and wearing a mourning veil, revealed the sculpture of the unusually tall duck, known as Long Boi, in Central Hall.

Long Boi, a 28in (70cm) cross between a mallard and an Indian runner, was regularly featured on James’ show after gaining fame among students and is believed to have died last year after vanishing from the campus.

Speaking on his breakfast show, broadcast live from the university on Thursday, James said: “It is one of my great sadnesses that I never met Long Boi, though I feel like I did.”

The statue was unveiled as part of a ceremony held at 09:00 BST, with hundreds of people watching on.

After the unveiling, a “minute’s quacking” was held by those in attendance.

Ahead of the ceremony, James said he was “extending the invite” to the ceremony to “all the other ducks on campus”.