STAFF at one of Hampshire's most historic buildings have prayed for calm skies as 27 tonnes of metal are crane-lifted onto its roof this morning.
This giant scaffolding frame is to be hoisted on top of Winchester Cathedral as part of £20.5m restoration works.
One of the biggest cranes in Britain has extended over the Norman cathedral, ready to lift the first five-tonne arch.
The structure will be lifted over the Cathedral Tower to provide a temporary cover while 40 workers remove the lead roof, which is broken and leaking.
The lead will then be melted down off site and recast to last another 150 years.
Although more than 60 locals gathered to watch yesterday (Tuesday), work was postponed because crews did not have the right counterbalance, which was due to be shipped from Southampton by this morning.
The Rev Canon Roland Riem donned a hi-vis jacket and hard hat over his robes to pray for "calm skies and calm minds".
Archaeologists have already found 19th century graffiti in the Presbytery vault and expect to find more when the roofing begins.
"It's something you're not going to see again" said Tony Paris, of Christchurch Road. "I think it's fantastic."
Each of the seven pieces is expected to take an hour to lift. Cathedral bosses hope to finish the lift by the end of the day.
The £4m roof works come as part of a massive conservation project which will restore the 16th century timber vault, stonework and new buildings in the cathedral grounds.
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