An unexpected find has boosted plans to restore the Victorian Fountain at the Plain in Oxford.

The fountain is in need of urgent repair.

But when work began in August no one had much idea what the missing top section would have looked like.

A timely chance discovery of architectural drawings in the city engineer's room in Oxford Town Hall has resolved the mystery.

It had been thought the original drawings for the construction of the Victoria Fountain no longer existed.

Debbie Dance, director of Oxford Preservation Trust, who is working with the city council on the restoration project, said: "These drawings are an exciting find and provide invaluable evidence, particularly for the reinstatement of the weather vane, where the top section had been lost.

"The only previous evidence was rather long-distance period photograph."

With the help of the drawings, blacksmith Graham Parry is now re-creating the missing section to return the weather vane to its original state.

The plans also show the timber cupola housing the clock was originally painted white, and traces of this have been found at the site.

This is now being redecorated to match the original finish.

The restoration of the fountain being undertaken by the OPT and the council, with he support of Magdalen College, should be completed before the end of the year.