After many months of hard painstaking work the steam roller is back and open in Kings Road play area in Dorchester.

Dorchester Town Council has confirmed that this icon of Dorchester's industrial heritage, much loved by many in Dorchester and a magnet for children over the many decades, has finally been repaired and ready to last another century.

Whilst carrying out the work the council learned a lot about the engine, first and foremost how decayed it actually was. 

An announcement on the council's website said: "We are very relieved to have taken the decision to do the remedial work when we did as the corrosion inside the old engine was extensive and significant.

"We also learned that the engine had many drivers over the years, or so all their now adult grandchildren told us whilst it was being repaired. It appears lots of grandads over the years took their grandchildren to the engine to play and told them they used to drive it; it must have been a very busy engine."

The council said they were grateful to the Spitfire Forge for the work and time put into the repair work, making sure that it was fit for many generations to come.

It is hoped to carry out a dedication ceremony sometime in the future.