Church aims to rise £100k to make bells ring again

A village in East Yorkshire is trying to raise £100,000 to restore its church's historic bells.

St Patrick's Church in Patrington has launched a campaign for the restoration of the iron and steel frame of the bells which has been corroded by coastal weather.

Villagers have not heard the bells peal for the past four years because it has not been safe to ring them.

A concert took place at the church on Sunday to help raise funds for the project, with international organist Sean Maxwell.

St Patrick's dates to the 13th century and the Grade I listed church is known as the Queen of Holderness.

Mike Davis, one of the volunteers that looks after the church, said: "St Patrick's is the centre of our village; it's on the highest point and you can see it for miles.

"We have the Humber to one side and we have the North Sea to the other, so it's almost a marine environment up there for spray and salt and [the frame] has corroded."

The church has eight bells, two of which are dedicated to six men from the village who died during World War Two, who are commemorated by a plaque on the south wall.

"We're having to take the bells off first, take the frame out, send it all away for shot blasting, painting, then put it back up, reassemble, and hopefully the bells will be able to ring again," Davis said.

Other fundraising events are planned throughout the year including a festival of music involving three choirs.

The church also hopes to recruit a new team of bell ringers during the restoration work.

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