Litcham bells welcomed back to Norfolk village church

The six bells had hung in the brick tower of All Saints Church in Litcham, but were removed last summer to undergo repairs.

The project, known as The Beautiful Bells of Litcham All Saints, was partly funded by the Lottery Heritage Fund. It cost around £160,000 in total.

Steve Kidd, manager of the project, said: "A couple of the bells had cracks on them. They had to be specially welded.

"They were also difficult to ring as their fittings had all deteriorated, but we're hoping to finalise them next week to rehang them, put the ropes on and test ring them.

"It's all been very positive. We had a lot of people yesterday (February 4) show up to see the bells being delivered, so it's great to have so many involved".

Tim Angell seen centre in front of th church (Image: Chris Richmond)

The project was started in 2006 by Tim Angell, who led the Litcham bellringers and was well-loved in the village.

Mr Angell died in November at the age of 62 from motor neurone disease, with his friends arranging to have one of the bells engraved with his name as a lasting tribute.

"Tim had been campaigning for this for 20 years", Mr Kidd said: "He was the driving force and without him, this project wouldn't have happened.

"He volunteered countless hours, was always willing to help out, had a genuine care for the village, and was just an all-around pillar of the community.

"Bell ringing was his passion. He was the one who finally succeeded in getting the lottery money and is fondly remembered".

One of the bells was engraved in memory of Tim Angell (Image: Chris Richmond)

The work on the bells, some of which date back to the 17th century, was undertaken by Oxfordshire-based bellhangers Whites of Appleton.

Other refurbishments as part of the project include a revived church clock, which goes back to 1725.

Alongside the renovations, the project also involved groups from Litcham's two schools taking part in workshops and learning more about the church's Medieval graffiti.

Future activities include graffiti-themed art workshops and a 'Beautiful Bells' Discovery Trail around the village.