A PUMP that played an important part in Droitwich's salty past is being returned to its rightful place as part of a part of a project to create a brine heritage site.

The two huge gas and oil engines and a massive pump originally pumped brine water from the town's Tower Hill to the brine baths and Lido Park.

The equipment was removed from Tower Hill in 1974 and was kept as a working model at Droitwich High School.

Last August the relic was removed from Droitwich High to give the school more room to extend, and has been steam-cleaned and stored at Reddihaul's Holt Heath yard.

Work began to put the pumping equipment back at Tower Hill last Thursday.

The equipment will not be working, but will be on display as a feature of the Droitwich Spa heritage trail.

Members of the public will not have access to the heritage site but will be able to see the relic along side the current pumps through a viewing gallery.

"This is an important day in the annals of the Spa's salty history and for its future," said Lew Hammond, Wychavon District Council's town centre's manager, who is leading the project with support from Droitwich Town Council. "Tower Hill is the second of three planned heritage sites."

The first heritage, a replica brine well built over the ancient Upwich Brine Pit in Vines Park, was opened in April last year. There are also plans to extend the scheme in Gurney's Lane, which was a brine production area in the last century.

Creating a brine trail is a six-part project which includes putting plaques at all historic sites in Droitwich, acquiring coats of arms to display at events and the community centre, finding and recording the town's historic documents and distributing leaflets about the town trail.

Plans are also being made to improve the heritage centre with a view to creating a town museum.