The workmen removed the expensive antique in order to change its bulbs

Mar 19, 2014 08:13 GMT  ·  By

Clumsy contractors who were performing maintenance work at Towneley Hall in Burnley, Lancashire, dropped and damaged a crystal chandelier worth thousands of pounds that was hanging as a center piece in the main hall of the 16th century historical building.

During routine maintenance, the workmen removed the expensive antique in order to change its bulbs, but dropped it to the floor, accidentally recreating a hilarious scene from “Only Fools And Horses” in which Del Boy and Rodney were hired to clean priceless chandeliers in a country mansion and smashed one of them.

The Express says that when the workers tried to winch it back up, the chandelier fell to the ground and several of its arms broke off, so the ornate piece had to be taken away for repairs.

Simon Goff, head of Green Spaces and Amenities at Burnley Council, said, “During a routine bulb change on the chandelier in the Great Hall at Towneley, slight damage occurred and the chandelier has been removed for repair and cleaning.”

“We will also take the opportunity to re-wire the chandelier and it will be returned as soon as possible. The care and conservation policy for the museum's collections is followed at all times while carrying out routine work,” he added.

The impressive piece is known by visitors as an integral part of the entrance hall to Towneley Hall.

A Burnley Council spokesman confirmed that four crystal arms were damaged during the incident and said that the cost of repairs to the chandelier was £2,960 ($4,905 / €3,525) but it is covered by insurance.

“Caring for all items in the museum, whether in the collections or on loan, is fundamental. This was an unfortunate accident that happened as the chandelier was being lowered to be cleaned,” the spokesman added.

The “Only Fools And Horses” episode with which this incident has been compared is called “Touch Of Glass” and aired on the BBC in December 1982. It attracted 10 million viewers and was the first one to reach this milestone.

For 500 years, Towneley Hall was owned by a wealthy Catholic family. At the start of the 20th century, the late-medieval, part Elizabethan, part late-Georgian manor house was sold together with 62 acres (250,000 m2) of land to Burnley Corporation. Since then, its parklands and buildings have been made available for public use.

Today, the museum houses different exhibitions of natural history, Egyptology, local history, regional furniture, and decorative art.