THE historic Droitwich Spa salt industry will be celebrated with the construction of a replica brine pit.

A working model of the Upwych Brine Pit will be built in Vines Park, off Saltway, in the coming months.

Wychavon District Council will fund the £8,500 project.

The idea came about after archaeological work in the popular park in the early 1980s.

The dig established that various sorts of brine pits and mechanical pumps were used over the centuries.

The new model will represent equipment from the medieval period which was used directly under the proposed site.

The authority aims to use and sculpt traditional materials similar to the original.

Visitors could be able to draw Droitwich brine from an artificial pit in the replica machinery.

Cllr Pam Davey (Con, Droit.Central) told the Advertiser: "This is an exciting and long overdue development to promote the historic importance of our Spa town."

The project is the first phase of a three-part scheme to promote and celebrate salt heritage as a tourist attraction.

The council hopes to refurbish the Gurneys Lane salt heritage structure and display two used brine pumps.

It also wants to investigate the possibility of organising guided tours of the Tower Hill brine pump room, off High Street.

Wychavon's community partnership committee members approved the replica model scheme at their meeting on Tuesday October 24.