PEOPLE power has won the day to turn back time in Accring-ton.

A website pressure group has persuaded Hyndburn Council to reinstate the Arndale Centre's famous Father Time clock at another town centre site.

The timely campaign was launched when an angry resident, desperate for the quirky clock not to be lost for ever, posted an appeal on the Accrington-based site. Supporters rallied round, protest meetings were organised and public opinion was mobilised.

The clock formed the centrepiece of the shopping centre when it was opened 17 years ago.

In the early days, people crowded round it on the hour to see the globe open into a flower, revealing fairytale characters playing Rock Around the Clock.

But earlier this year it was dismantled to make way for a new Arndale coffee shop.

Website user Roy Westwood, of Holland Street, Acc-rington, said: "One of our members started the campaign because she was upset about things disappearing from Accrington. We all liked to see the clock. It was great and really interesting and we want to see it back in Accrington. It was there one minute and then it just disappeared. There was no consultation.

"We have several ideas for where it should go, perhaps in the Market Hall or outside in a glass box."

Roy said the campaign, which has the full backing of Hyndburn MP Greg Pope, had gone from strength to strength and e-mails of support had even been sent from former Accringtonians now living in America and Germany.

Mr Pope said: "The clock was a bit of a landmark and I would definitely like to see it back in Accrington somewhere. This is about people power and it shows they don't have to be the major issues of the day to get people's backs up. There's something typically English about a campaign to save a quirky clock."

A Hyndburn Council spokesperson said the Arndale Centre management had carried out restoration work on the clock, which had been in a poor state of repair, and offered it to them for free.

The council is now identifying a suitable site for the clock to be erected and will be consulting shoppers.