THIS is the bronze piece of artwork set to take pride of place in Victoria Circus, Southend, when the £7million revamp comes to an end this week.

The Echo has been given an exclusive peek at the piece, called the Return and designed by renowned Belgian sculptor Rene Julien.

It will cost £50,000 to create and install.

The piece shows a couple meeting with the woman jumping into the arms of her male partner while a pair of lovebirds cavort at their feet.

Weighing 350kg, the piece will be on a 1metre-high marble plinth in the new public square outside Southend Victoria railway station.

Lorraine Butler, the Better Southend project manager, said the work was not commissioned, but chosen by councillors from a range of sculptures.

She added: “They were looking for a more traditional piece that gave good value for money and this was the piece they finally chose.

“They were after something that represented the essence of what the new square was all about. This symbolises people returning home, returning back to Southend.

“It represents a place where people will meet up. Obviously, we hope people enjoy it.”

The council had to install a piece of public art as a condition when it received funding for the whole project from the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency, which paid for it.

Ms Butler said installation would start when the work on the revamp was complete, probably tomorrow or Friday.