AN iconic statue has been returned to its place on the top of a North-East theatre after being damaged in high winds.

The Terpsichore statue had to be removed from the top of the Sunderland Empire tower in January after being dislodged by high winds.

The 115kg statue, which is made of fibreglass, was returned to its old spot by a crane on Sunday.

Ben Phillips, general manager of Sunderland Empire said: “Terpsichore is an iconic part of the theatre and the statue has been missed locally by both patrons and staff. We are delighted that specialists have been able to repair and restore the statue for the reinstallation at our beautiful theatre.”

In January it was thought it would have to be replaced because it was so badly damaged but a fibreglass expert was able to restore it.

It is a replica of the original bronze and gold statue, which had to be moved for safety reasons during the Second World War and is now at the top of the main staircase in the theatre.

Sunderland councillor John Kelly said: “Terpsichore has been a much loved feature of the city’s skyline for as long as most of us can remember. So it will be wonderful to see her back in her rightful place on top of the Sunderland Empire after the painstaking work to repair and restore her to her former glory.”