Specialist engineers to inspect faulty Time Ball

Further inspections are to be carried out in an attempt to fix the landmark Time Ball on the clock tower of Hull's Guildhall, the council has said.

The golden Time Ball, on the council's headquarters, is supposed to drop at 13:00 each day, and was traditionally used by ships' crews to set their clocks.

The 7st 8lb (50kg) ball was refurbished in 2023 after having not functioned for about 100 years, but it stopped working again shortly after the £400,000 renovation.

Specialist engineers would visit the site next week to plan the necessary work and bespoke parts were being sourced, a Hull City Council spokesperson said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the sphere is mounted 196ft (60m) above the ground.

It is one of just eight left in the UK, including one at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London.

Gillian Osgerby, interim assistant director for major projects and infrastructure at Hull City Council, said: "Specialist engineers are due to visit the Time Ball next week to carry out further inspections and plan the necessary works, while bespoke parts are being sourced.

"We will provide another update when the Time Ball is expected to be working again."

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