AN official unveiling of Fivemiletown’s village clock marked the end of a project to restore the historic timepiece to its former glory.

The clock was unveiled yesterday (Wednesday) by the Lord Lieutenant for County Tyrone, Robert Scott OBE.

The unveiling ceremony was preceded by a programme of music, song and dance in the Altmore Suite of the Valley Hotel.

The clock, which dates from 1903, had stopped working several years ago as a result of constant use, corrosion caused by weathering and the detrimental effects of a car bomb at the Valley Hotel opposite in 1972.

The clock is unique in that the intricately-worked repoussé copper casing was made by craftsmen from Fivemiletown, who were members of the art metal industry which thrived in Fivemiletown from 1892 until the outbreak of the First World War.

Fivemiletown Chamber of Commerce undertook to have the clock restored and successfully secured a Heritage Lottery Fund grant which was awarded in January 2014.

The restoration work was carried out by a specialist restorer, Geoffrey Armitage of Lutterworth, in Leicestershire, who was awarded the contract at the beginning of July.

The clock has now been returned to its familiar position on the wall of the old Petty Sessions building on Main Street.

A spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce said the community is delighted to have the local landmark back in place.

He said: “I hope passers-by will stop and have a close look at the newly-restored clock. These local craftsmen of more than a century ago had exceptional talent and skills and the quality of their craftsmanship is outstanding. Now we can appreciate it fully once again”.