A long-awaited £300,000 showpiece water fountain in Wolverhampton’s Queen Square will not be finished until spring next year – eight months later than planned.

The city’s historic square has resembled a building site since April and the wraps were initially due to come off in August. But council bosses admitted today they were no closer to completion and that the realistic finishing date was now April 2009.

The news is a blow to the Christmas festivities in the city, the focal point of which was due to be the fountain. It was hoped a carol concert would take place there.

The site is surrounded by green hoardings to keep the construction work hidden from view. But as our main picture shows, little has progressed above ground since the project began.

Council chiefs today apologised for the delay and blamed it on the intricate network of underground cables that have lain there for more than a century.

Workers are having problems identifying which belong to various utility companies, and say until it is sorted out the underground water tank cannot be fitted. 

Councillor Paddy Bradley, cabinet member for regeneration, insisted the delay was not costing taxpayers any more money.

She said: “I’ve been banging on to the workers to get it finished quickly, but these Victorian pipes are the problem. It is a big job and I have to admit it is frustrating. We are extremely sorry about the delays.” 

Contractors Edmond Nuttal Ltd will stop work at the site in December while the Christmas festival gets under way before starting back in up the New Year.

Tim Clark, spokesman for the city council, said: “We are having to chase companies to tell us where the pipes are – and when they give us maps they are often not 100 per cent accurate.” 

The water feature will be made up of two water plazas on different levels, with a walkway between them.