Paisley Town Hall’s iconic clock is to get its famous chimes back.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has awarded Renfrewshire Council £16,250 towards repairing the Victorian tower’s unique clock chime mechanism.

The trademark ringing sounds, which date back to the 19th century, have fallen silent in recent years but are now to be restored.

Normally, the chimes could be heard across the town to mark the hour, quarter and half hour.

Local people will also get the chance to pick what tunes they want to hear.

In the past, the clock has played songs by Elvis Pressley, including his classic Wooden Heart.

When it was first completed in 1882, it was able to play 36 tunes, including La Marseillaise, God Save the Queen and Scots Wha’ Ha’e, although that was reduced to 12 in recent years.

Once upgraded, the 139-year-old operating mechanism will be put on public display for the first time.

The government cash will also be used to raise awareness of the historical significance of the tower clock and its chimes.

Council chiefs have welcomed the funding and said the clock upgrade should be completed by the end of this year.

A spokesperson added: “The work will complement the ongoing transformation of the town hall into a landmark entertainment venue and allow this much-loved building to stay at the heart of life in the town for generations to come.”

The construction of the town hall and clock tower was paid for by local mill owners, the Clark family.

It began to fail in the 1990s, when the chiming mechanism became worn and frequently ran slow or shut down.

At the start of the 21st century, a modern electrical mechanism was installed at a cost of £20,000 but problems persisted.

One day in October 2008, the clock would not stop chiming and council officials had to switch off the power.

A HES spokesperson said: “The clock carillon will be brought back into use to allow for a variety of tunes to be played at regular intervals throughout the day.

“A community engagement programme will run to raise awareness of the history and construction of the unusual instrument and its significance locally.

“A film will be produced to document the refurbishment, helping to showcase the mechanism in a historical context.”

HES is the lead public body in Scotland charged with protecting and promoting the country’s heritage.

Almost £250,000 was awarded to 20 other heritage projects across Scotland this week as part of the same initiative.