Section of city wall is 'unsafe'

Access to the Eastgate Clock remains unaffected

A section of the city wall in Chester has been closed after an inspection revealed that it was unsafe.

The discovery was made during work being carried out on the Grosvenor Hotel. It was discovered that a nearby part of wall was unstable.

The fault is not in the section of the ancient city walls, parts of which date back to Roman times as early as AD 120.

Chester City Council's engineers carried out a further examination and closed it as a safety measure.

The walls are a Grade I listed building and are the most complete city walls in the UK.

They form a 2m (3.2km) circuit around the city centre and are a major tourist attraction as people flock to walk them.

A short diversionary route will be sign-posted for residents and visitors.

The city council is keen to stress that access to the Eastgate Clock will not be affected.