Brighton's landmark Clock Tower, which has been under wraps for 18 months, is due to be unveiled later this month.

The tower, at the junction of Dyke Road and Queen's Road, has been in a sorry state of late, with its scruffy stonework shrouded in scaffolding and tarpaulin.

But after 18 months of restoration, and occasional frustration, one of the city's most distinguished structures is almost restored to its Victorian splendour.

Its antique mechanism has been fine-tuned and a fresh layer of gold leaf carefully applied to its domed fish-scale roof.

A golden ball is also ready to rise again to mark each passing hour for the first time in 100 years.

The Clock Tower was built for Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1887 and completed the following year.

The 75ft-tall structure stands on a red granite base with four statuettes. Above this are portraits of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, her son Edward, Prince of Wales, and his wife, Princess Alexandra, later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

The time ball rose hydraulically up the mast and fell on the hour so passing ships could set their chronometers.

This was discontinued in 1902 because the sound frightened horses.

With equine movements less frequent in the centre of Brighton today, the city council decided it was time to restore the timepiece.

Work began in April last year and was scheduled to finish last December. The estimated cost was £35,000.

But a succession of problems, including bad weather, a faulty mechanism and a parts shortage, pushed the date back and the cost up. It was due to be unveiled in May this year at a total cost of £100,000.

Project leaders are now hoping the restoration will be completed by the end of this month.

David Brown, who is overseeing the scheme for Ecovert Management, said: "We are very near the end now.

"We have cleaned the stonework, replaced some of the missing decorative plaques and painted the roof as it was originally."

Master clockmaker Tony Frost said: "We had to take the clock to pieces, transport it to our workshop, carry out the repairs and then assemble it back on site. It was a very involved operation."'

Not everyone, however, agrees the money has been well spent.

In a recent article in The Argus, historian Dr Anthony Seldon said: "One's faith in the judgement of the town's planners is not improved by the preservation and renovation of the Clock Tower - donated by a benefactor to commemorate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee in 1887.

"Victoria did little for the town beyond leaving it this eyesore."

Dr Seldon may dislike the tower but, as everyone knows, time is a great healer.