TIME stood still for more than a week in a village near Wellington after grey squirrels were found to be nesting beneath the clock in the parish church tower.

The 150-year-old clock in St John the Baptist Church, Ashbrittle, is usually wound three times a week in a task shared by a group of villagers.

But they had to stop when the winders discovered a grey squirrel nest, or drey, immediately beneath the clock pendulum.

The nest contained three kits which appeared to be only a few days old.

This week, however, the issue was resolved after advice was taken from the RSPCA, which said squirrels were officially classed as vermin and could not be moved but instead should be destroyed.

One clock winder, Tim Hayward, said: “It came down to a very unpleasant decision.

“It was a pragmatic approach.”

Mr Hayward said there was a risk of damage being caused by the squirrels because they were known by churches elsewhere to have chewed through wiring and materials and even to have nibbled at lead roofing.

He said: “Up to now we have only had to deal with very persistent jackdaws.”

The clock winding task is shared between villagers Mr Hayward, Michael Fairfax, Paul Leyland, and Pip Wilson.

Mr Hayward said: “It is a joy, it is a civic duty, and we feel pride every time it is on time.

“We still go up a lot of worn steps, about 70 steps, up the tower and you feel you are retracing a lot of footsteps going up.”

The clock was installed in about 1874 during a Victorian restoration of the 15th century red sandstone built church.

The grade two starred listed building is one of seven churches in the West Tone Benefice with Bathealton, Kittisford, Rockwell Green, Sampford Arundel, Stawley, and Thorne St Margaret.