The popular statue known as “The Two Fat Ladies” will make its long-awaited return to Wimbledon next week.

The sculpture was moved from its normal location outside the Rotunda entrance, next to Wimbledon station, when construction work began earlier this year, prompting concern it had been permanently removed.

Samantha Brown, marketing manager for the centre, said the statue would return and be unveiled on June 12 by the mayor of Merton, Councillor David Williams.

She said: The sculpture is going to be moved slightly from its original position, as it was directly in the path of the entrance to the centre, but we can promise people that they will only be moving a matter of feet. 

“This year marks our 20th anniversary, and the Ladies have been with us from the beginning, so we would never have entertained the thought of letting them go somewhere else.”

The 8ft high bronze sculpture, created by Andre Wallace, was unveiled at the opening of Centre Court Shopping Centre, in September 1992.