MORE than 60 years after she used to help wind the Lansdowne clock by hand, a Christchurch woman is backing an appeal to have it restored.

Pamela Butcher is keen to help get the Bournemouth and Poole College clock chiming again and is urging others to donate to the £8,000 appeal.

Now 73 years old, Pamela used to climb ladders inside the tower from the age of seven with her father, Edred Underhill, the college superintendent.

“Mother always insisted that someone went with him in case he fell” said Mrs Butcher, who lives in Stroud Lane. “It was all done by hand and we used to wind the clock between us.”

Bournemouth and Poole College receives no extra funding for the grade II listed clock and tower but the College Foundation is hoping money can be raised to get the clock working in time for Bournemouth’s bicentenary celebrations this summer. Restoration work must be carried out by Smith of Derby, specialists in conservation and restoration work on heritage time pieces.

So far £3,000 has been raised and anyone who wishes to donate should contact the College Foundation on 01202 205282.