A historic church tower clock dating back to the 1880s will cost £15,000 to repair, it has been revealed.

The clock at Waltham Abbey Church in Highbridge Street, Waltham Abbey, stopped at 8.55 just before Christmas, disabling its 15-minute chimes.

The church says all three of the clock's automatic winding units must be replaced and it cannot afford to pay for repairs.

Richard Walters, church warden, said: “We are aware of the concern in the local community that the church clock is not functioning and are sympathetic with that concern.

“The amount needed to repair the clock is much more than the church currently has available.

“The church is open every day, with heat and light, and a verger on duty, so the community can come in to experience the church’s beauty or to be quiet and pray, which is our priority.”

The church relies on donations for it's funding and is applying for grants to cover the cost of the work.

The hands of the clock were yesterday set to 2.50 in reference to the last lines of The Old Vicarage Grantchester, a poem by Rupert Brooke.

The church chose to honour the poet, who died in the First World War, on the centenary of the outbreak of the conflict.