Millennium stone finds resting place

The stone was placed alongside the glasshouse

The three-tonne stone from west Wales, which failed to make it to Stonehenge, has been taken to its final resting place.

The millennium stone was at the centre of a lottery-funded project to recreate the efforts of Stonehenge's founders two years ago.

A crane was used to move the stone

The original scheme was scuppered when the stone sank off the Welsh coast just 17 miles into the 240-mile journey from the Preseli mountains in Pembrokeshire to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.

The eight-foot tall stone lay on the quayside in Milford Haven since being retrieved by Navy divers until it was moved to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales in Carmarthenshire on Thursday.

It now forms part of an exhibition at the gardens.

"The stone has been placed on its side on a plinth to show it was the one that made the journey," said Owen Jenkins, from the garden.

"We have obtained another stone which has been placed in an upright position to show how it would have looked had it reached its destination," he added.

A currach - one of the boats used during the attempt - is also on display.

"The stone fits in with our Rocks of Ages exhibition which illustrates the geological history of Wales from the oldest to the youngest," said Mr Jenkins.

Insurance glitch

"We are all delighted and very excited about the stone arriving," said Mr Jenkins.

"It is a good kick-start to what promises to be a very exciting year in the development of the gardens," he added.

The stone ties in with the Rocks of Ages exhibition

Staff will be unveiling a double-walled garden in June, in which the temperature is regulated by the inner and outer walls, enabling an innovative range of plants to be grown.

The millennium stone's epic adventure had to be abandoned when insurance cover could not be found for a repeat seaward journey.

A number of requests were made by different organisations to house the stone including one from Mynachlogddu Community Council to return it to its starting place in the Preseli mountains.

Stonehenge's creators are thought to have transported bluestones from Preseli 240-miles by land and sea in order to build the monument's inner circle.