THE company which made the weather vane for Darwen Tower has offered to repair and re-install it free after it was damaged by strong winds.

The WEC Group, of Junction Street, Darwen, contacted the borough council after learning that the vane had been knocked off the tower and bent out of shape.

Lisa Tierney, from the metal company, said: "We are a Darwen company and we were very small at the time but now we are quite large and we want to give something back to the town."

Darwen Tower's crowning glory was ripped off in March and put into storage awaiting repair.

Peter Hunt, director of environment at the council, said: "We are very grateful for WEC Group's help in restoring the vane to its former glory on Darwen Tower, which is one of the borough's famous landmarks."

It was the second time the tower had suffered damage from strong winds. In 1947, gales blew away the original wooden turret which had topped the tower.

The weather vane was installed on the new dome when it was reopened in 1972.