CHURCH leaders yesterday launched a £55,000 appeal to restore fire damaged bells at one of their historic buildings in Durham.

The eight bells at St Brandon's Church, Brancepeth, near Durham City, have been in storage since a blaze ripped through the building in 1998.

The following year, the Duke of York launched a £3.5m appeal to repair the damage.

A £400,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant enabled the first phase of work to begin, and local people, as well as patrons including lords, bishops, academics and politicians, rallied to help.

Now, as restoration work nears completion, the church has teamed up with the Durham University Society of Change Ringers (DUSCR) to focus on the bells.

Yesterday, the appeal to repair them was launched by the Lord Lieutenant of Durham, Sir Paul Nicholson, who struck a hanging bell outside the church.

He was accompanied by hand bell ringers from DUSCR, which has rung St Brandon's bells for more than 30 years.

Adrian Rogers, director of the Brancepeth Church Appeal, said: "The appeal is going to work through the university society approaching its current membership, life membership and others with an interest in bells.

"It brings together a lot of the bell-ringing fraternity."

To signal their support for the appeal, churches throughout the region, including Durham Cathedral and Hexham Abbey, sounded their bells.

During work to restore the grounds and fabric of the Grade I listed church, archaeologists unearthed more than 70 decorated stone grave covers, which were celebrated as an important historical find.

Mr Rogers said the overall project was progressing well.

"We are fairly optimistic now that we will reach the appeal target," he said.

"The whole structure of the church has been rebuilt inside, the ceilings and roofs have been done, and the floor is nearing completion.

"We are well on the way."

He said the church, which has remained closed since the fire, could be welcoming congregations back by Christmas.

"There will be a major opening ceremony for the hundreds of people who need to be thanked," he said.

Izabelle Thompson, master of DUSCR, said: "It's a great honour to be master at this time. I didn't think we would get the bells back while I was here."