By Courtney Cameron

The statue of William Wallace on the National Monument at Stirling is now back on display after a painstaking restoration.

The 14ft bronze figure was carefully removed and sent to England for ten weeks of repairs by specialists.

Stirling Council invested an estimated £260,000 in the project with the hope of bringing the statue back into peak condition for the monument's 150th anniversary in September.

Councillor Scott Farmer, leader of Stirling Council, said: "After a challenging and complex project involving a number of different specialists, it is fantastic to see this magnificent statue of William Wallace restored to its former glory and standing proudly over Stirling once again on the National Monument."

The work done to the statue was part of a wider project to restore the exterior of the monument.

Ken Thomson, of Stirling District Tourism, said: "It's been a hugely significant project - the monument is now looking better than ever.

"It was 150 years ago that the work on the monument was finally completed and it was really an expression of how Scotland as a nation wanted to honour and commemorate the person who had risen to become a national hero.

"The statue is very important as no images exist of William Wallace from the 13th century."