Hopes for repair of clock tower

A historic clock tower in a Shropshire town which has not told the time for five months could soon be working again after council chiefs commissioned a leading clock specialist to carry out repairs costing £3,000.

The timepiece at the Clocktower roundabout in Donnington, Telford was put up in honour of engineering boss Charles Walker, who employed hundreds of people from Telford.

The chairman of Lilleshall and Donnington Parish Council, Councillor Phil Norton, said it was disgusting that the clock was left sitting idle when the roundabout acted as the main gateway to Telford from the north.

Councillor Norton called on chiefs at Telford & Wrekin Council to take responsibility for it and cough up the cash.

He said: "A number of people have come to me from Donnington and Muxton and said it's not right that it's not working.

"Charles Walker did a lot of work in the area for education and he put the money forward for the Walker Tech College, which is now TCAT."

However, Councillor Stephen Bentley, cabinet member for Environment at Telford & Wrekin Council, said they had decided to fork out the money and have it restored.

He said: "Telford & Wrekin Council has commissioned leading clock repairer Smith of Derby to carry out a full reconditioning and refurbishing of the clock's working parts, which will cost £3,000.

"We are now waiting to hear when that work will be carried out.

"In the meantime, we have contacted Lilleshall and Donnington Parish Council to advise them of our progress in restoring the clock to full working order."

Councillor Norton added: "It's important that it is working because it's the history of the area of Donnington and we need to preserve that."

By Jason Lavan