Big Ben will chime again on Thursday after months of silence

Big Ben will chime for the first time in almost three months on Thursday as the bell is reconnected ahead of Armistice Day.

The bell’s rings will be once again heard in Westminster at approximately 9am following an 11 week break.

The test run is to ensure it chimes at exactly the right time for Armistice Day commemorations at the 11th hour on Saturday, followed by Remembrance Sunday events the next day.

The bells will then be disconnected again after ringing the hour at 1pm on Sunday 12 November.

Palace of Westminster engineers will work to correct any “slight inaccuracies” that may become apparent when the bell chimes on Thursday, parliamentary authorities confirmed.

Big Ben was silenced for conservation works at 12pm on 21 August this year. Renovation is expected to last for four years but the clock will be restarted for important national events.

The decision to silence Big Ben to protect the hearing of engineers sparked controversy over the summer, with some MPs campaigning for it to continue chiming while the multi-million pound works were carried out.

Even Prime Minister Theresa May added her voice to the criticism, saying: "It can't be right for Big Ben to be silent for four years."

Scaffolding around the Elizabeth Tower has now reached the belfry (where the bells are housed), covering the entire monument.

The chimes will next be heard 23 December for the Christmas period, before falling silent again at 1pm on New Year’s Day 2018.