ANDOVER’S only working waterwheel will be back in a town pub following a £7,000 restoration project.

Pete Richards, of Town Mills, will unveil the handmade wheel when it is restored to its rightful place within the pub on Tuesday evening.

And the Town Mills team want to hear from anyone who can help with turning the wheel into a green energy generator.

Landlord Pete and landlady PamBeaufoy have wanted to restore the disintegrating wheel – which can be viewed from the glass entrance of the pub – since they arrived nine years ago.

Starting at the end of December and following generous donations from customers, which raised £450, Pete and locals Dave Hayes and Ian Bennie have replicated the wheel, using English oak from Andover Down sawmill.

Pete said: “It has been an adventure to say the least.

“It’s a project that I have been wanting to do ever since coming here and at last it’s done.

“The wheel hasn’t turned for 14 years and it has been falling into disrepair.”

The watering hole will hold a special evening to celebrate the wheel’s return from 6pm on Tuesday, with the Mayor of Test Valley, Councillor Dorothy Baverstock, unveiling the project at 7pm.

Pete said: “Everyone in Andover is welcome.

“It’s an Andover wheel, at last we have got a bit of heritage back.”

He also appealed for anyone with expertise about generating power through the wheel to get in touch, adding: “We are definitely interested in having some green energy.”