It's been an eyesore in the centre of Maidstone for years.

But now work is about to start to ensure the Travelodge in St Peter's Street in Maidstone is finally streak-free after being rust prone since it was built in 2010.

The KM reported in February that borough councillor Dan Daley (Lib Dem) had put pressure on the building's owners to get the problem fixed.

He discovered that the steel within the building may not have been treated properly, causing the rust to leak through.

The building’s owner – a pension fund that leases it to the hotel chain – agreed that it needed to be fixed.

Scaffolding began going up around the building yesterday, and currently covers the St Peter's Street side.

The work is likely to take 12 weeks.

Cllr Daley said: “At the end of it we should see a new hotel looking as pristine as when it was built and hopefully there will be no chance of a return to the rust."