The latest damage has been done to one of the legs

The 9ft bronze statue of Donald Dewar in Glasgow's Buchanan Street has been spray-painted on one leg.

Glasgow City Council said it would be repaired in Edinburgh and returned to its original site before Christmas with a raised plinth to deter vandals.

Mr Dewar, 63, died from a brain haemorrhage in October 2000. The memorial was put up two years later.

The statue has been repeatedly targeted since it was officially unveiled by Prime Minister Tony Blair outside the Royal Concert Hall in May, 2002.

Its glasses have been twisted and in another incident, a traffic cone was placed on its head.

Repairs should be completed by the end of November Glasgow City Council

Following restoration work, the statue will stand on a new Balmoral Red granite plinth, two metres off the ground.

The city council said it hoped the higher plinth would make it more difficult for vandals to target the statue.

A spokesman said: "This work is necessary due to various acts of vandalism since its installation.

"The work will by carried out by Glasgow City Council, Powderhall Bronze and contractors CBC Stone who are making a donation of �5,000 towards the costs of the works.

"Repairs should be completed by the end of November, which means Scotland's first first minister will be back in Glasgow for the Christmas rush."

The statue was created by artist Kenny Mackay, whose workshop is in Mr Dewar's former constituency of Anniesland.