THE bells will soon be ringing out again at a Grade I listed church after a successful restoration project.

St Mary's Church at South Cowton, near Northallerton, is a closed church, and only used for services three or four times a year. Recently the woodwork around the church's bells, including the wheels, was found to be unsafe.

Bell-ringers living in the parish decided to take action to keep the bells in use and launched a £2,000 fundraising campaign.

About 90 per cent of the money needed has now been raised, and the new wheels, made by wheelwright and Northallerton bell ringer's captain David Town have been finished.

Last week Mr Town, along with fellow bell-ringers Mike Masterman and Fred Thistlethwaite, were at St Mary's to fit two of the new wheels.

Mr Masterman, who is also the project's treasurer, said: "The three bells were becoming unsafe to ring because of the general deterioration of the woodwork and although South Cowton is a redundant church, it was felt that the bells were still worth keeping in a ring-able condition."

The church was founded in about 1450, but dates back more than 1,200 years as a place of worship.

Anyone wanting to make a donation to the project can do so through the parish treasurer at All Saints Church, East Cowton.