The man behind the restoration of one of Merseyside's most iconic buildings is expecting people to visit from across the world.
Every day, hundreds of people pass by Prescot's Flat Iron Building without realising its history. With its unique shape, the building was built in 1890 by Thomas Dennett, and it was given its nickname because it looks like an old flat iron and still stands on Eccleston Street today.
Having fallen in love with the building that "no one was interested in" back in 1976, Ronald Musker and his family bought the Flat Iron Building. It has remained empty for several years, but work has been going on behind the scenes over the last four years.
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After a lot of regeneration, and funds pumped into the restoration of the building, Ron's family and friends have rallied together to bring it back to life while celebrating its historical value. But excitingly, Ron said there is one item he feels will bring interest from across the world and put Prescot on the map.
A special time ball on top of the building has been created for Prescot, which is set to be completed by the end of August. Having manufactured everything by hand, the idea is the time ball will rise up a pole and fall to signify certain times in the day. One has not been made like this before and they have not been used for decades.
Ron said: "A time ball was so the ships could set their chronometers, it became obsolete when they had the telegraph but there's one on the Thames. At four minutes to one the ball climbs the pole and at 1pm it falls, it's for GMT.
"There's been one restored in Hull. But a friend of mine bought this time ball in London, it's original, and I bought it off him some years ago but friends of mine have been working on it. The guy who designed this, he's a genius, and I don't use that word lightly.
"He's 87 and has a worldwide reputation. He's unbelievable, he has designed this and everything has got to be manufactured, it's never been done before in this format. It's remarkable really, The way he's designed that clock now, it's more accurate than Big Ben."
Working alongside clockmaker Phil Irvine and "genius" Jim Arnfield, the extremely unique time ball, first used in the 1800s, will descend at a key time in the day rising and falling, making it the "most accurate" clock.
The historical clock, made in Prescot in the early 1800s, will also be visible for all to see as Ron said the plans are "remarkable" and he cannot wait to share the work with the public. He told the ECHO he hopes children would visit the building and see how the structure was made.
He added: "You have no idea the amount of work gone into this. There's nothing you can buy, everything has to be manufactured.
"This will go worldwide, I've got people who want to come from America when it's opened. It will keep time, bare in mind it was made in 1816, it will keep time to within a couple of seconds a day. 160 years ago 80% of watches in the world started life in this town. It's quite amazing. Not many people know that."
Ron grew up in Huyton but fell in love with Prescot and has lived there since 1972. With a strong passion for clocks and watches, he said there are exciting plans in the pipeline to preserve the town's rich clockmaking history.
Further renovation works have also been completed inside the building, with stunning woodwork, new staircases and the keeping of some original features such as a fire place and brand new windows and doors. The space will be let out to businesses and organisations but the family said it would make the perfect museum.
Speaking previously to the ECHO, Ron said the creation of this remarkable time ball and the restoration of the flat iron building was important for the town with such a history of clock making. He added: "It's remarkable what's going to happen, people will be coming from everywhere to see it.
"Jim has invented many clocks, one for the queen, we don't know how lucky we are to have him. But there's an awful lot of work involved, it will be 10ft tall and Jim is designing it in a clear case so it can be seen.
"He's having a screen inside with different coloured levers and the mechanism is designed with safety in mind. Of course, everything has to be made. If Jim comes up with an idea, you can't just buy it off of a shelf."
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