A PERMANENT reminder of Weymouth and Portland ’s role in the 2012 Olympics has taken pride of place at a beauty spot on top of the island.

The 2.5-metre tall Olympic rings sculpture carved specially for the Games by craftsmen at Albion Stone is now at New Ground, Portland Heights, where there are stunning views of the Jurassic Coast.

Visitors travelling to admire the Portland stone rings will be able to see the national sailing academy below and the race courses where Olympic and Paralympic athletes chased gold.

The rings were outside Weymouth railway station for the duration of the Olympic Games to greet visitors arriving by train at one of the borough’s ‘gateways’.

They have now been moved to the island, where the unveiling was greeted by the borough and town mayors and a group of students. Mayor of Portland Sylvia Bradley said the sculpture was in its ‘rightful place’.

She said: “My own view is that it should have been on Portland to begin with as this is the home of Portland stone and of the sailing academy.”

Coun Bradley added: “It should be a lasting reminder to us all of the 2012 Olympics which will hopefully bring more people to the area.

“I think it’s a very nice sculpture and I know that it’s attracting interest already.

“Portland Heights is a popular spot anyway but as I left there I saw about 50 people come over to take pictures of it.”

Coun Bradley said Portland was thrilled to welcome the world’s athletes during the Olympics and Paralympics and praised islanders for being ‘wonderful hosts’ who treated the visitors with ‘dignity and respect’.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council , which commissioned the sculpture, said it was a ‘lasting reminder of the Games legacy.’ Funding came from the ‘Look and Feel’ budget from central government. Chairman of the borough’s management committee Mike Goodman said: “Portland played a huge role in delivering a successful Games and these rings will allow us to cherish the memories of hosting the sailing right here in our wonderful borough of Weymouth and Portland.”

A sculpture of Paralympic mascot Mandeville replaced the stone rings at the railway station when the Olympics finished.

It is not known how long it will stay in place.