Security at Wyre's 'Eros' monument will not be stepped-up despite news of a daring plot to steal the original statue from its London home last week.

Wyre council chiefs have confirmed they will not be increasing CCTV coverage at the currently empty Fleetwood site, despite the fact that an expensive bronze version of the original 'Angel of Christian Victory' is soon to be installed on an existing concrete plinth there.

It follows concerns the new Amounderness Way roundabout statue - donated by Fisherman's Friend boss, Doreen Lofthouse - could become the target of professional thieves after Scotland Yard detectives revealed details of a plan to steal the original aluminium 'Eros' from its home in Piccadilly Circus.

Surveillance has already been tightened at the London site as well as at a number of other famous British statues and sculptures including the four brass lions in Trafalgar Square, a two-tonne statue of Winston Churchill and bronzes around the Victoria memorial near Buckingham Palace.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard's Arts and Antiques Squad told a national newspaper: "Our criminal intelligence section has received information this gang has been eyeing up a number of famous monuments in London.

"Word is they believe they could get away with Eros because they think they have a buyer.

"Someone somewhere would pay a fortune for such an iconic piece."

He added: "There are plenty of newly created multi-millionaires in Russia, the Arab states, Indonesia and China who will pay to have these treasures in their private collections."

Designed as an exact replica and maintenance 'stand in' for its more famous Piccadilly-based brother, Wyre's original 17ft aluminium Eros was donated to the borough by the Lofthouse family in November 1999.

But he has been missing from his concrete plinth since being sent away for repair after suffering weather damage in May 2005. It was later decided to recast the statue in bronze to help cope with the demanding weather conditions of the Irish Sea coast.

But Wyre Borough Council - which is set to receive the new bronze statue in the next few weeks - says there are no worries about a similar plot being hatched on the Fylde coast.

A council spokeswoman said: "There is a CCTV security system in place that covers the area around the Eros Statue which is monitored around the clock by staff at the Lofthouse site.

"There are currently no plans, on behalf of the council, to increase the coverage of this system as it is unlikely that the situation in London poses a threat to our new Eros."

She added: "However the location of this security system will remain unknown to the public."