WEYMOUTH’S iconic ‘pineapples’ are set to make a return to the Ridgeway – if someone will pay for the move.

Dorset County Council is backing the idea of relocating the sculptures but feels other groups should take the idea forward and fund the majority of the cost.

The Portland stone pineapples originally stood at the top of the Ridgeway on the old Dorchester to Weymouth road.

During the construction of the Weymouth Relief Road in 2009 they were removed, and to people’s surprise turned up at the entrance to the Mount Pleasant park and ride site last year.

The county council explained its decision at the time saying a number of locations were considered and it was felt they would be displayed to better effect on the approach to the park and ride site.

But since then the council has received representations from groups and local people who want to see the familiar statues restored to a more prominent location on the way into the borough.

County councillor for Portland Harbour Tim Munro told a meeting of the cabinet the only position people wanted to see the pineapples relocated to was a site north of the Ridgeway bridge on the new relief road in a similar location to where they stood on the old road. Cabinet members supported this, however council leader Angus Campbell said he was unsure the council should be the ones to put forward a planning application.

He said: “It strikes me there is a strong wish to move these but I don’t think we should be involved with any planning issues.”

A report considered by the cabinet stated the estimated cost of relocating the pineapples would be between £10,000 and £20,000.

Weymouth Civic Society campaigned for the pineapples to be relocated.

Secretary Gerald Mabb said: “While we’re pleased the county council is backing this move, the question is who is going to pay for it?

“The county council put them at the park and ride site without any consultation, when promises had been made to site them on the relief road.”

• The pineapple sculptures were designed and built by stonemason Alan Woolsely and were donated by Weymouth Rotary Club to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council in 2004.

They are carved out of Portland stone, have a base width of 1.5m and a height of 3m and are estimated to weigh around 10 tons.