Whitley Bay storm-damaged clock restored after £15,000 repairs

Grant's Clock on Whitley Bay promenade has been restored to its former glory

A 90-year-old promenade clock damaged during Storm Arwen has been repaired and put back on display.

The timepiece in Whitley Bay took a battering when one of the most powerful storms in a decade hit in November.

Grant's Clock, unveiled in 1933, was sent to specialist Smith of Derby with a repair bill of about £15,000, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Norma Redfern, North Tyneside mayor, said experts had done a "remarkable job" of restoring the landmark.

The clock was seriously damaged during Storm Arwen

The clock, which has two faces and was unveiled in 1933 by councillor James Hamilton Grant, has been called "the little sister" of St Mary's Lighthouse, which can be seen in the distance.

But during Storm Arwen the clock face was torn off, glass was shattered, and the movement destroyed leaving the Whitley Bay seafront without one of its most famous landmarks.

Storm Arwen battered coastal parts including Hartlepool

"We know how much the clock means to local people and we were determined to get it back on public display," said Ms Redfern.

"The experts have done a remarkable job of restoring it and the column has been repainted 'Whitley Bay blue' to ensure it looks its very best."

She added the return of the clock was the "final major piece of storm damage" and it stood in testament to the "resilience of our borough." 

Storm Arwen hit at the end of November and left a million homes without power - about 100,000 were left powerless for several days.