IT is believed to be the only map of its kind in the world.

Mapa Scotland has just completed its first full year of works to restore a giant three-dimensional map of Scotland in the grounds of the Barony Castle Hotel in Eddleston.

However, despite six years of planning, fundraising and site clearance, it revealed it needs more volunteers to complete the project.

The map, built by Polish nationals in the 1970s and which has since been awarded B-listed status, was created to celebrate the links between Poland and Scotland and, especially, the contribution of Polish servicemen during World War Two.

It sits in an oval pool about 160ft (50m) wide and 5ft (1.5m) deep and once held gravity-fed water recreating rivers, lochs and seas.

Speaking after Mapa Scotland’s AGM on Sunday, chairman Keith Burns said: “The team of volunteers restoring the Great Map of Scotland in Eddleston have made amazing progress in recent weeks and months.

“We have just completed our first full year of resotration work on the map and creating publicity about the historical links about Scotland and Poland, which is the objective of our charity project, and we are well on with the project.

“The main priority now is to complete the restoration of the map to protect it for future generations and that requires quite a lot of work for volunteers to do the detailed sculpting of the map.

“We expected to find more commitment from local groups to help us with the work.

“It’s the availability of volunteers to do the work that we cannot contract out which will determine the timescale of the project - the more volunteers we get, the faster we will finish.

“But we’re determined to finish to save the map because it is totally unique.” Mapa Scotland was granted charity status on the condition that public access to the site at Eddleston is free at all times.

If you would like to offer your support with the restoration project, call Keith on 01620 860257.