Clock repaired after donation from Blur's Damon Albarn

The clock at St Peter's Church, in North Hill, is which is hundreds of years old and stopped working in August last year, much to the dismay of church-goers. 

Ever since, Alan Gray, the man who has looked after the clock for five years, has been raising money to fix one of the most important parts of the church. 

But now, £8,000 later, the clock has been repaired.

Fixed - a worker repairing the clock (Image: Alan Gray) Mr Gray, 80, said: "I was so relieved to see the clock going again and it's one of those things in the town you expect to be there.

"When it wasn't working lots of people were worried about why it wasn't going anymore."

One person who donated to the cause was Blur's Mr Albarn.

Read More: Blur's Damon Albarn united with Colchester music shop sign

Mr Albarn, who is also part of Gorillaz, used to visit Alan Gray's music shop, Axe Music, and purchase a variety of instruments from the business. 

Mr Gray said: "He used to come in and he bought his keyboards and things off me and when they became famous they sort of disappeared from view from everyone.

"I vacated my shop in 2000 and a Chinese company took over my shop.

Old friends - Damon Albarn with Alan Gray, the former Axe Music shop owner (Image: Newsquest)

"They put their sign over the top of my Axe Music sign, without taking it down - they just left it there."

When Mr Albarn returned for the Blur reunion tour last year the Chinese company had closed and taken its sign down.

Walking down the High Street, he saw the old Axe Music sign and wanted to have it for himself. 

He got in touch with former Gazette journalist George King and said he wanted to buy Mr Gray's sign. 

Mr Gray said: "George phoned me and asked how much I wanted for the sign and I said that they could have it for free because I can't use it anymore I don't want anything for it.

"But before I finished I said he could give us a few quid to get the church clock repaired.

"Straight away he gave me £1,000 - I was shocked."

With the help of the Gazette, the sign was delivered to Mr Albarn at his studio in London. 

The sign now has a new home on the top of his roof.