A TOWN centre garden is set for a major revamp to welcome home one of the borough's most important public art works.

Barbara Hepworth's distinct Two Forms (Divided Circle) sculpture was removed from the garden outside Bolton Crown Court early last year to feature in an exhibition commemorating the work of the renowned artist in her home town of Wakefield.

Now council bosses have ordered a £50,000 revamp of the green area to house the sculpture - but say it might be found a new site somewhere else in the town centre in a few year's time.

Barbara Hepworth is considered to rank alongside Henry Moor as one of the greatest British sculptors.

She created the piece in 1969 and it was bought a year later for Bolton Council by the Victoria and Albert Museum and the JB Gass Charitable Trust, established by local architects Bradshaw, Gass and Hope.

It was sited outside the Crown Court building on its completion in 1984 after spending 14 years in Bolton Museum.

Work to the garden will see the introduction of new seating, better security measures, new paving and an explanation of the sculpture.

There will also be a thinning of the trees above the seating area to allow it to be better seen.

Cllr David Wilkinson, executive member for culture at Bolton Council, said: "Hepworth is an important artist and many people will be delighted to hear this is returning to Bolton.

"This is a fitting home for it because it is a very popular spot.

"It will be there for a few years at least but we will review its position depending on the outcome our the plans for a cultural quarter at Le Mans Crescent and for a shopping and leisure complex at Central Street."

Since last April, the sculpture has been a feature of an exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hepworth's birth.