LEDBURY'S historic Market House has been hoisted into the air in perhaps the most difficult stage of its £200,000 restoration.

For the first time in 400 years, the building has been raised from its base, so that repairs can be carried out.

Now that the base of the wooden pillars can be seen, cavities caused by wood wasp, rot and fungal problems are deeper and more extensive than was expected.

Contractor Graham Walker said: "This work is not being done before time, believe me."

The spongy wooden pillars were starting to splay and in a few places the timber is just half an inch thick or less.

Work to raise the building started at 7am last Thursday (July 6), when huge hydraulic jacks, attached by a special scaffolding frame, began to lift the Market House off its sandstone plinth.

By 6pm, a full 11 hours later, the slow, careful operation had succeeded in lifted the building to a height of more than two feet.

Seeing the Market House lifted up into the air was a complete surprise for one town councillor.

Former mayor Phill Bettington said he was amazed when he took his camera along to record work in progress, as he had not been told when it would be jacked up.

Architect Ian Stainburn had written to town clerk Tessa Wildermoth to inform the council that the building was due to be raised, but it lay unopened for two days.

Before his note was found, town councillors were considering sending Mr Stainburn a strongly-worded letter asking why they had not been informed when it was happening

Ms Wildermoth said: "Mr Stainburn did try to notify us. He sent a note, but I was so swamped I didn't open it until Saturday. It was clearly my mistake. It has been lifted higher than I thought, but the good news is that it is up now, without cracking anything."

Work on filling the cavities in the pillars with an inert material is expected to be completed within three weeks.

Afterwards, it should be possible to lower the Market House, then restoration work will continue on other areas of the building, such as the roof.

The project is on schedule for a September finish.