ALFREDS in Winchester will have to wait longer before they step into the limelight as part of an unusual art project.

Alfreds.net, to broadcast the lives of six Alfreds on the internet from a kiosk in the High Street, is now at least three months behind schedule. The project - branded "barmy" by a Tory councillor last year - was supposed to start last October.

Members of the public will be able to enter the kiosk and watch website pictures of the Alfreds, including Alf Morrison, landlord of the Rising Sun on Magdalen Hill, going about their lives.

Alfreds.net is part of a three-year £100,000 public art project funded by the National Lottery, to run 24 hours a day for six months.

Tony Langridge, chief estates officer at the city council, said it had been hit by technical delays in setting up all the internet links.

A meeting is due to be held this week where the technical problems will be thrashed out between technicians and the artist Pierre Vivant.

Mr Langridge said the project would probably not start before February at the earliest. A decision had to be taken on how long the project would now last.

The artistic idea is to fuse mythology and technology to look at the legends surrounding the life of King Alfred with the lives of modern-day Alfreds. Initially ten Alfreds were to take part but that has now dropped to six, said Mr Langridge.

The Alfred kiosk will be situated by the Blue Dolphin fish and chip shop, only 200 yards from the famous statue in The Broadway.