This morning, he returned, in all his glory.

The lead statue, which once stood in the grounds of Condover Hall, was a little the worse for wear.

His foot was crushed and his left arm badly decaying. And once restoration work began it was discovered that his wrought iron internal skeleton had rusted away.

But the most intriging discovery concerned the noble Hercules' legendary fig leaf, placed strategically over his private parts, but removed by vandals.

Restored Hercules with new fig leaf

Hercules once stood opposite St Chad's Church, and it's thought that the statue had once been completely naked. According to local legend, Hercules' nudity was an embarrasment to the church-going ladies of Shrewsbury, and so the fig leaf was added to the statue.

But the restoration work, paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund, discovered that poor Hercules never had the necessary equipment, and had always been covered up.

The sensitive repairs were carried out at a London conservation studio.

The Mayor of Shrewsbury, Eileen Sandford, revealed the Farnese Hercules to borough councillors and Heritage Lottery Fund representatives at a
ceremony this morning.

Celia Bahrami, assistant chief executive at the council, said there had been some debate about whether the fig leaf was a Victorian addition and whether it should be replaced.

Robert Clive statue

She said: "Researchers at Liverpool University took photos and x-rays and decided that, yes, he was originally cast with a fig leaf and so he's got a new
one."

Experts used a photograph of the sculpture which was taken in the 1850s and showed a fig leaf held in place by a belt with a decorative buckle to aid the design of the new covering.

Hercules, who also received a new left arm, had rusted in recent years, as well as suffering at the hands of local vandals.

Stainless steel armatures have been inserted to support the statue, and other damaged areas, including a crushed foot, have also been revitalised.

Hercules arrived on specialist transport and was being re-erected in his former haunt - The Dingle - early this morning.

And after he was put back in his place, it was the turn of another of Shrewsbury's landmark statues to be carted off for repairs - the bronze statue of Robert Clive in the Square, Shrewsbury.

The Clive statue will be missing for 12 weeks.