West Suffolk Council has located an antique clock after it was stolen during a break in nearly six decades ago.

The Drum Clock, which was made in Prague in 1540, was stolen during a robbery at a former Clock Museum in 1964.

A part of the Gershom Parkington collection, the irreplaceable time piece was thought to have been lost forever.

However, the council was contacted earlier this year by an auction house after they had been offered the clock to sell.

The council was able to claim it back after negotiating a settlement fee of £4000 with the current owner from the Gershom Parkington bequest.

It is now on display at Moyses Hall Museum in Bury St Edmunds.

‘At 479-years-old, this is the earliest clock in our collection,’ said Cllr Joanna Rayner, cabinet member for leisure and culture at West Suffolk Council which owns and manages the museum.

‘It has had a remarkable journey during its time and having been stolen 55-years-ago I think it’s fair to say all hope was lost in ever getting it back.

‘We are extremely grateful to the auctioneers for spotting this as our stolen clock and contacting us so that we could arrange to get it back and put it back on display alongside other fascinating time pieces from the Gershom Parkington collection.’