Scaffolding to go up at Lord Hill column in Shrewsbury

A safety inspection was carried out on the Lord Hill statue on Monday

Scaffolding is to be put up to protect a statue after further pieces of stonework fell from it last week.

The 133ft (40.5m) high column in Shrewsbury, featuring a statue of Lord Hill, was first cordoned off last year after debris fell in April.

On Monday, engineers found the statue had deteriorated further since its last inspection in November.

Shropshire Council said extreme cold and wet weather, coupled with high winds was almost certainly responsible.

Completed in 1816 and 13ft (4m) higher than Nelson's Column in London, the column was dedicated to Gen Rowland Hill, who was born in Shropshire and served as second in command to the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo.

'Prove expensive'

He later succeeded the duke as Commander in Chief of British forces.

A report for the local authority on the state of the Grade-II listed structure is currently being considered by English Heritage, which would need to give its approval for any significant work.

The council said its long-term plans were either to repair or replace the statue.

Scaffolding is expected to go up in the next few weeks and, once in place, will allow the safety cordon to be reduced, providing pedestrian access to Preston Street and Processional Way, the authority said.

Rob Wagstaffe, property manager at Shropshire Council, said engineers had removed a large number of loose pieces of masonry to prevent them from falling.

He said the safety inspection had advised initial suggestions of wrapping it in mesh or netting would prove expensive and not necessarily protect the statue.

Mr Wagstaffe added that the scaffolding would also allow work to be completed on the statue at a future date.