A project to get a jammed clock on Keighley Shared Church moving again is to receive a financial boost from Keighley Town Council.

Councillors voted in favour of giving up to £4,000 to the church to enable it to free the hands on the church tower’s east-facing clock.

The Rev Peter Mott, priest-in-charge at the church, had previously explained to the council that the work on this part of the clock would need to be done from the outside, which means scaffolding must be erected.

He said all four faces of the clock would then need cleaning, adding that there would also be some stone pointing, minor repairs and installation of netting to stop pigeons from roosting in the belfry. The total cost will come to about £12,000.

Mr Mott said: “While the scaffolding is in place the engineer from Bradford Council, who services the clock, will free the hands and make the necessary adjustments to the clockwork.

“The hands on the east-facing clock have been stuck for the best part of the year and the engineer has not been able to free them from the inside.

“The clock is primarily for the benefit of the community rather than the church and we’re very grateful to the town council for its help.

“Maintaining an old building like this is expensive and we were struggling to find the funds. We have applied for various other grants.”

He said he expected the work would take about four to five weeks to complete and hoped it could be done before Christmas.

Town councillor Amjad Zaman spoke in favour of the church’s request for assistance at the council’s latest monthly meeting last Thursday evening.

After the meeting he said: “This isn’t just backing a religious organisation – the clock benefits all the people of this town.

“I’m extremely supportive when it comes to things like this. As councillors that’s what we’re elected to do. Why should we represent our town if we can’t look after it?”