RAPID progress is being made in a £500,000 revamp of Worcester's Cornmarket - with a key part of the city centre getting a new lease of life.

Contractors working on behalf of Worcestershire County Council have been ripping up the tired old surfacing, saying within days a new 'buff' flooring will be complete to give it a dramatic new look.

We can also reveal how bosses aim to have new street lighting and furniture in place by the August Bank Holiday weekend, before attentions turn to getting the public art up later this year.

The improvements are aimed to giving the Cornmarket the first serious facelift in years, putting its appearance on a similar footing to the High Street, which has been the main focus for new investment recently.

Last night a resurfacing team started work on the road, relaying an asphalt base along New Street.

They are returning today to plane off the carriageway in Cornmarket Square, with Queen Street being looked at later this week.

Under the fast-moving project granite slabs and new kerbing has also started to appear, with workers at the site seven days a week.

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council, said: "We're hoping to have the majority of the construction works completed on the scheme towards the end of this week.

"The scheme will not be deemed fully complete however until the new street lighting and street furniture are in place.

"We do not yet have a clear date for this, although we are aiming to complete by the end of August."

A new electrical supply to support the popular Victorian Christmas Fayre will also be part of the new package.

As your Worcester News revealed in June, once the Cornmarket revamp is finished some statues will be erected at the site.

That includes William Shakespeare and King Charles II as well as the Bard's wife, Anne Hathaway, the Rev Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy and music hall star Vesta Tilley.

In a poll people were asked to choose their favourites from a list of famous faces from Worcester's past - an effort to give the Cornmarket fresh impetus as a place for tourists to explore.

The council says it aims to get the statues in place later this year but cannot be specific on the timescale as talks are ongoing with third parties.

Councillor John Smith, the cabinet member for highways, said: "The statues will greatly enhance the character of the Cornmarket once they are in place and are sure to be a talking point for residents and visitors."