ATHERTONIANS can keep track of the time using clocks designed for the town.

Belgium-based firm Decor Art Creations is producing a limited edition of handmade clocks with 18 carat gold features, depicting Atherton church, pub and street scenes.

The Market Place, Evangelical Church, Market Street, St John's Church, The Jolly Nailor and The Wheatsheaf feature on the £69.95 timepieces made to mark the beginning of the 21st Century.

Craftsmen make the clocks in Herentals, Belgium, by positioning the glass plates on a matt white background. Motifs are then put on to the glass plate and the gold is burnt into the design in home-built ovens.

A quartz mechanism is then assembled and the clock is finished off with a wooden frame.

Decor Art Creations have been producing plates and clocks for different towns and villages for six years in the UK. Currently, they are unable to anticipate the amount of clocks they will sell but they are not intending to make more than 150.

Atherton Rector the Rev Bill Baldwin said he did not know his church was being used on the clock, but he was quite taken by the idea.

Mr Baldwin said: "I think it sounds very nice. I'm sure local people will probably be interested but I should imagine there will be a lot of competition with Jubilee mementoes that are on sale. I think I probably would buy one. I can imagine people will buy the clocks to give as presents."