A HISTORIC boundary stone has been returned to Leigh – and then pulled up again after it was put in the wrong way round.

The stone, which once marked the old parish boundary between Pennington and Bedford, had been embedded in concrete in the Arches car park but had to be removed again after ‘human error’ meant it was installed face down.

After a picture of the stone was posted on Facebook this week, dozens of people commented that not only did they think the stone was a trip hazard but that it also looked completely different to a picture of it recently printed in the Journal.

Michael Caine wrote on Facebook ‘I think we're all of the same opinion. That's a cheap way of doing things, and a dangerous one, and plain wrong. It should be upright, that's how boundary stones stand.’

While Chris Boon commented ‘I'm surprised they allowed the tripping hazard. At least if it's not standing up correctly they could of put it on some sort of plinth.’

Some people speculated that maybe only half the stone had been installed or that it was a different one then originally pictured.

But the stone was removed again on Thursday after the Wigan Council had been made aware of the issue.

Mark Tilley, Wigan Council’s assistant director for infrastructure, said: “We have spoken with the contractor and the stone has been carefully excavated from the tarmac area in Leigh.  We will be moving the stone next week when the correct lifting gear is available. 

“It will be taken to a registered stone mason in Tyldesley who will clean the stone and prepare it for reinstallation.

“We will then design a sympathetic surround plinth for the stone to be mounted upon, which reflects its heritage and historical importance for the town. The stone will be then be reinstalled in Leigh.

“We apologise for any upset this error has caused but we are confident the final setting for the stone will be appropriate and lasting.”

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Wigan Council agreed to restore the stone back to Leigh next to the guided busway route after it was discovered by a member of the public who spotted it lying on the ground during construction work in Ince last year.

A spokesman for TfGM said: "They (Wigan Council) have been aware of this issue for a few weeks, it is down to human error on the part of the contractor."