KINDHEARTED Rick Pirouet has set the hands of time straight after Chesham's clock suddenly stopped ticking two months ago.

The unemployed father-of-three from Deansway, Chesham, carried out the work to mend the clock in Chesham town centre, free of charge.

Mr Pirouet, 47, decided to lend his skills after reading about the clock in the Free Press when we reported how the hands had got stuck at 11.18am.

He said: "My suggestions have worked. I love a challenge. While I was off sick and doing nothing I thought I would use my knowledge and skill.

He added: "I noticed it before but I didn't know why it had stopped.

"I used to be a maintenance engineer for farms machinery but that has had to stop now. So I thought I would do my bit for the community."

Mr Pirouet mended the clock by sealing the fuse box, and making tiny holes in the clock face to improve the ventilation, as it failed to let out the dampness and condensation.

Grateful Bob Ayres, the parks and premises manager at the town council said: "I think we have cracked it. He had a good idea and it seems to have worked. We are really pleased with the help we got.

"I am relieved we didn't have to put airbricks in the wall around the clock for ventilation as it would have ruined the look of the building. It is a lovely building."