CELEBRITY Anneka Rice may launch a new ‘challenge’ to help repair the historic White Horse at Osmington.

The star has been blamed for the greying of the monument after spreading hundreds of Portland Stone chippings on it for a BBC Challenge Anneka show in 1989.

Dorset County Council is leading a new project to clear the sculpture – depicting King George III on his horse – and restore it to its former glory.

Now Ms Rice has vowed to be the first in line to volunteer her services and may even hold a mini-challenge to help.

She said: “I love that White Horse. It is a beautiful historical monument. I often go down that road as I spend a lot of time in the west country. I feel it should be cherished.”

She added: “We did 63 challenges and I am very attached to all of them. It is sad that the horse appears to be one of just two which didn’t work.

“We could do a mini-challenge. The original challenge was tiring work and I literally couldn’t stand up afterwards. It was the toughest project physically we did. It was absolutely shattering. We did it once, we could do it again.”

Ms Rice recruited some scouts to help rejuvenate the 323ft high white horse, which was becoming overgrown.

The Challenge Anneka format required her to race around the clock, persuading locals to help complete a task in a couple of days.

Ms Rice insisted that advice was taken and permission gained before the work was carried out – as with all of the challenges. She said: “We didn’t just wander along.

“There were most stringent permission and advice to follow. Local history groups were involved and councils. It would have all have to have been rubber stamped.”

She added that there must have been a terrible mistake over the advice that was given.

Experts have warned that the stones placed on the horse may have done more harm than good. The county council is leading a project working group, which also includes the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty team, the Osmington Society and West Dorset District Council.

It is working closely with English Heritage, which will approve the restoration design.

The group aims to remove the chippings and carry out surveys to determine the original shape of the horse. The Georgian Group, a historical society, has also vowed to help out.