Scaffolding around the Clock Tower in the centre of Brighton is likely to stay up for months.

Brighton and Hove City Council believed the job to restore the landmark would take just a matter of weeks, but four months later workers have still not figured out how to fix it.

The Clock Tower, which was unveiled in 1888 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria the previous year, has been shrouded in scaffolding since May.

Part of the scheme involves restoring the golden ball, which in Victorian times ascended to the top of a mast every hour.

The ritual was stopped after only a few months because people in the area complained about the noise it made. The ball used to rise up the mast slowly but then descend with a thump, which irritated neighbours.

Workmen are now faced with working out how to adapt the old Victorian mechanism to allow the ball to rise and fall reliably and silently.

Until they opened up the clock they did not know what to expect and discovered a great deal of corrosion.

Originally the mechanism worked using hydraulics but this is now no longer possible and it will have to be adapted to use electricity.

The cost of the restoration, which is being partly met by Boots, which has a store opposite, is £35,000.

The scaffolding is likely to stay for several more months but work should be completed by Christmas.