One of the world’s most famous clocks will bong again in just under a year.
Big Ben has been shrouded in scaffolding since 2017 but the restoration of Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower is near completion.
The refurbishment of the famous London attraction, which has cost in excess of $160 million, was originally expected to be finished this year – but was delayed due to the Covid-19 crisis.
In a statement, UK Parliament authorities said the conservation project is due to finish in March 2022 and revealed a number of important milestones on the project over the next 12 months.
"These include the removal of further scaffolding, the re-installation of the Great Clock and the return of Big Ben’s world-famous chimes.
"Following years of painstaking conservation work, the clock hands, now resplendent in their original Victorian colour scheme, will be added to the clock dials, with the restored mechanism returning to the tower later in the year," the statement said.
"Early next year the bells, including Big Ben, will be reconnected to the original Victorian clock mechanism and will ring out across Westminster once again."
The bells of Big Ben have been ringing for over 160 years, despite the effects on the building of bombing during the Second World War, as well as weather and pollution.
Six monarchs and 41 prime ministers have come and gone since the bells first struck.
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