A campaign to save an Aberdeenshire town’s ancient Pictish monuments has been met with an “amazing response” from more than 150 locals.
Last month a survey was launched to gauge public feeling on the future of Inverurie symbol stones, which are located in the town’s cemetery.
The pink granite artifacts are considered a unique example of the culture of the Iron Age Pictish tribes which ruled in their north-east heartland between the 4th and 9th centuries.
The symbol stones at the foot of the equally historic “bass” are believed to date back to between the 6th and 8th centuries.
However, fears have been raised that little is being done to protect them from the elements, flooding and general wear and tear.
With the support of the Inverurie and District Community Council, local resident, Elizabeth Barrow launched a survey looking to the future of the monuments and was “delighted” at the response.
The possibility of a shelter for them was among the ideas put to the public.
People were also asked if they would like the stones to remain at the spot or have them rehoused and put on display elsewhere in Inverurie.
Mrs Barrow said: “We had an amazing response to our survey. We have now written a report which will go to the community council.
“It was a complete and utter success. We were thinking 30 or 40 would complete (the survey). We had over 150 and the majority of people had heard about them and knew that they were there and were aware they were in a state of disrepair.
“Obviously people who we met feel they should be looked after. A lot of people were saying they’d prefer them to stay where they are now. A lot of people were saying if moved they’d lose that Celtic feeling.
“A lot of people were also saying if it is necessary to protect them then they need to be relocated. A few people actually said after the floods they have gone down to check them to see they were still there.”
Weather damage has caused damage to the images depicted on them – a crescent, a v-rod, a serpent, a double disc and a single horse in motion.
Conservation work to the stones and the construction of a shelter could cost anywhere between £65,000 and £75,000.
The feedback from the consultation is now being considered before Mrs Barrow and the community council take the campaign to its next stage.
Any proposals to relocate the stones will require consent from Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
A spokesman for the organisation said it was awaiting the outcome of the consultation “with interest”.