A HISTORIC piece of artwork has been officially reinstated in Barrhead after being torn from the ground.

The restoration of the Circle of Hands, also known as the Barrhead Eye, was marked at a ceremony outside Barrhead Foundry on October 6.

Featuring scenes from different periods of the town's history, the original sculpture was broken up and removed from the town in 2013 to make way for Asda on Glen Street.

The artwork, created by the Barrhead Women's Centre in 1994, is now situated adjacent to the Commonwealth Games legacy bench outside the Foundry.

Though the Barrhead Eye has been remodelled, it still incorporates the hand casts of over 40 Barrhead primary school pupils.

Dozens of community groups were involved in the creation of the Eye which originally occupied a spot in Centenary Park.

Councillors Tony Buchanan and Tommy Reilly joined residents for an unveiling to mark the occasion.

Cllr Reilly commended the local community council for the part it played in the Eye's restoration.

He said: "You've got to give kudos to the community council for it, it was them that got it reinstated.

"Well done to Barrhead Community Council for all of its efforts."

Last month The News told how a central figure in the Eye's restoration had praised the decision to restore the much-loved artwork in the town.

Contractors had used hammers, chisels and a petrol-powered circular saw to break the up the 22-year-old art piece which lay in bits at East Renfrewshire Council's Thornliebank depot for three years.

Rena McGuire, a former chairwoman of the Woman's Centre and a prominent member of Barrhead Community Council, said: "I think it’s great because we’ve been working with East Renfrewshire Council since it had been uplifted and I had taken it to the community council.

"What happened there was when it was removed by Asda, I happened to be walking past and noticed it was gone and contacted the council and they didn’t know the background of it.

"Unfortunately, the actual artwork and the designs were all damaged beyond repair when it was lifted.

"There was also a time capsule within it but Asda chose to keep it. As soon as they found out the background they took it on board."