THE bells are ringing again in a village church which is gradually recovering from a mystery blaze.

Restoration of St Brandon's Church, in Brancepeth, near Durham, has taken another step forward with the installation of eight bells.

Five of the original bells, recovered from the ashes of the blaze in September 1998, have been restored, retuned and returned to St Brandon's.

Three others have been recast by craftsmen at Taylor's bell founders, of Loughborough, in Leicestershire.

They range from a three-quarter-tonne tenor bell to a smaller treble, all put in place in St Brandon's bell tower with the help of an expert bell-hanger.

Members of the church's resident campanologists, Durham University Society of Change Ringers, gave the newly-arrived bells a trial peal.

Church restoration appeal director Adrian Rogers said: "They sounded very good. There's been a lot of excitement as the work has gone on, and the arrival of the bells is another positive step.

"We've had favourable reports from the bell-ringers and I think they're looking forward to coming back here permanently.

"Brancepeth is the home church of the university change ringers and there are one or two villagers who join them as well."

The £2.9m restoration is well advanced, with the reopening expected some time in the first half of next year.

Mr Rogers said: "We still can't be precise. We are busy fitting out the Sunday school room and all the glazing is going in apart from the east window. Then, we're going to look at the interior and how the church is finished. So, we have a nice complete shell, a floor and ceiling, and by September the shell will be virtually complete and it will just be a case of fitting it out."

The restoration is supported by aid from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Historic Churches Trust, and £150,000 raised by parishioners.

Sunday services will continue to be held at Brancepeth Village Hall until the church reopens.