Repairs to an iconic city library have been delayed again – due to “bad weather”.
Scaffolding around Central Library in Aberdeen will remain in place until at least autumn, the council has confirmed.
Work started late last year, after unstable masonry and water damage was discovered by a steeplejack.
Following the emergency repairs, a longer-term project to halt water penetration across “several roofs” began.
In June, the city council said the work should be completed, and the scaffolding removed, by the end of August, one month behind schedule.
But the authority has now revised that date and claimed completion has been set back by bad weather earlier this year – despite the north-east then enjoying one of its best summers in recent memory.
A spokeswoman added that the works will remain within their original £100,000 allocated budget.
She said: “It had been hoped that we could recover time lost due to the bad weather experienced earlier this year, however, despite our best efforts this has not been practicable.
“The works are now expected to be completed in autumn 2018 and within the original budget.”
The library opened in 1892 after a group of residents raised the funds to build the impressive granite structure then costing £10,000.
In February 2014, stormy weather was blamed after a large chunk of plaster crashed on to the main staircase, forcing the city council to close the area while an inspection was carried out.
Local councillor Bill Cormie said the scaffolding was much talked-about in the local area.
He said: “This has been a long saga, I pass this scaffolding daily and people are always asking me about when it will be coming down.
“People have said they regularly see no workmen on the roof, so with the delay and the scaffolding costs it is hard to see how this will stay in budget.
“We need to protect our heritage buildings up to standard but also need answers about this.”