“IT’S a piece of the city and it should be saved.”

Those are the words of a team of experts tasked with restoring the old Echo clock, which was once a Southampton landmark.

Mark Holman, who is refurbishing the iconic timepiece, said it is part of Southampton’s ‘amazing history’ and that the city should show more pride in its past.

The old Echo clock which hung outside the Southern Daily Echo Offices in Above Bar Street was once a popular meeting spot.

This clock is not the original master clock, which was made of metal but it is thought to date from the late 1940s.

The clock, which moved with the Daily Echo when it set up new offices in Redbridge, is now set to get a new lease of life.

Joint efforts are underway to fix the clock by the Daily Echo, restoration expert, Mark Holman, who owns Fork Handle Revival, and several Southampton businesses.

Mark, 50, says he decided he wanted to do his bit to preserve city heritage.

Father of daughter Ruby, Mark said: “My view is it’s a piece of the city that could be saved.

“Where possible I like to see things brought back to life.

“We have some amazing history [in Southampton] that people do not know about and that we lost during the war.”

He added: “We have used local businesses who have given their time for free to help restore the clock.

“The shell is made out of fibre glass, we think it may have some cracks inside.”

He explained that the clock will be painted glass black and have a white back light.

It is now on display at Robin’s Nest Emporium in Oakley Road.