AN iconic part of a small town is one step closer to being restored after the community raised more than £6,000.

Plans to completely revamp Millom town clock are well under way after charity bosses announced they had passed the halfway mark.

Key members of the community revealed plans in July to get the town's beloved clock chiming once again and after raising thousands of pounds, Millom Clock could start ticking by New Year.

Councillor Ged McGrath, who is leading the project, is delighted by the progress and the support it has received.

He said: "I'm delighted. I've always been optimistic that people would support it and they have.

"When we got the opportunity to do this I thought people would back it because it's such a big part of the community."

Cllr McGrath joined forces with Christine Lovell, mother of the new owners of the Clocktower restaurant, and other members of the community to start a new charity to restore the clock.

He said: "We wanted it to be a community effort and everyone in the town should have a little bit of ownership of it."

The money has been raised by selling badges for £1, Millom Town Clock membership for £5 and by businesses across the town donating to support the scheme.

Cllr McGrath and his team have just a few months to reach their £11,000 target and are encouraging everyone to dig deep to help sustain this historic part of town.

Cllr McGrath said: "I think everyone is going to benefit from it and it sets the tone for the town.

"People who went to the Ironworks would go to work by that clock. It's part of our history and it's been part of Millom for a long time."

<strong> Read more about Millom Town Clock here. </strong>