A village clock has been protected with bulletproof glass after it was shot by vandals.

The timepiece in Bridge was bought with public donations about 60 years ago to honour a local policeman called Sgt Blee.

But villagers have been forced to cover it with plastic plexiglass after the airgun incident last year.

“The new glass means it will not get broken if shot at,” village hall secretary Mark Esdale said.

“It’s bulletproof. We were determined to get it fixed because it is an important asset to Bridge.

“The clock is very popular in the village and lots of people appreciate it when they are out and about or waiting at the bus stop.”

Father-of-two Mr Esdale, 58, works as an electronic engineering lecturer at the University of Kent.

He found a .177 pellet in the clock following the vandalism in March last year and thinks it was fired from a passing bus.

“The new glass is a lot lighter and cheaper, as well as bulletproof,” Mr Esdale added.

“I am disappointed that the police were not interested in investigating it at all as it is dedicated to a police sergeant.

“But I want it looking good as many people commented on how sad they were to see it damaged.”

Mr Esdale, who lives in Bridge High Street, says he still needs to fix the clockface, which was broken by the pellet.

“The clock is working but it has a temporary face at the moment,” he added.

“It needs a professional job to get the face sorted, so will stay as it is for now, but people hardly notice.”