Reigate's historic Old Town Hall clock could soon be striking again after months of silence. Contractors are next week expected to start work on removing the local landmark's four faces for repair.

The clock, which normally strikes with a bong on the hour atop the historic Old Town Hall in High Street, stopped working earlier this year.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council had an initial investigation carried out and found that the cast iron dial on the east face of the clock had cracked, causing the glass to drop out.

A borough council spokeswoman said: “We carried out an emergency repair at the time to make the dial water tight and bird proof, while we awaited the full report from our clock specialists.”

She said: “The report showed that all four clock faces need repairing. “To do this they need to be removed and taken away to a foundry for refurbishment.”

The contractors are expected to complete the scaffolding around the High Street landmark this weekend, in order to be able to start work on removing the clock faces for repair.

It is expected the refurbishment of the faces at a foundry will take about four weeks.

The spokeswoman said once the faces have been put back, the clock repaired and the tower redecorated, the scaffolding will then be dismantled over several Sundays.

She said: “We thank people for their cooperation whilst the works are being carried out and apologise for any inconvenience they may cause.”

The work has meant the suspension of the disabled bay and delivery bays by the Old Town Hall for the delivery of materials on recent Sundays.

But the scaffolding extending to the side of the building has been put up to bridge the telephone box there, so it can still be used.

The Old Town Hall is Grade II Listed and was built in 1728.

Before its days as a town hall, the building was used as a market hall, and was also once the venue for petty court sessions.

Its clock appears in a painting from 1837, and in a much older picture that has not been accurately dated.