Notre Dame restoration ready to start as safety work completed

Restoration to start at the cathedral in the centre of Paris two years after a fire destroyed the attic and spire

Work to shore up Notre Dame in Paris has been finished, allowing restoration to start at the cathedral two years after a fire destroyed the attic and sent its spire crashing through the vaults below.

Soon after the April 2019 blaze, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said the cathedral - which dates back to the 12th century - would be rebuilt. He later promised to reopen it to worshippers by 2024, when France hosts the Olympic Games.