THE restoration of Pickhill church bells is progressing, thanks to 10 Field Squadron (Air Support) Royal Engineers.

The squadron collected the six bells from Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London and delivered them to a local farm, where a frame has been put together to support them. They are expected to be taken to the church in January and should be in use in February.

The project started back in the spring and is costing about £31,000. Much of the work has been done by project co-ordinator and ringing master Caroline Birdsell. Liz Fothergill and her daughters, Debbie and Sarah, have also played a part; Mrs Fothergill has donated one of the new bells and the frame as a memorial to her husband, who died in a farming accident.

Terry and Lynn Roberts co-ordinated a Bellringers in the Kitchen cookbook project, which raised more than £1,100, and Angie Kiker raised funds from cards printed from her watercolours.

Work has also been done by John Hallett, who rings at Stokesley; David Town, who rings at Northallerton; Jo and John Mitchell, who ring at Boroughbridge, where an appeal is being launched to restore and rehang the bells there, and Chris Robson, the churchwarden.

Three bells have been restored and three new ones cast.

The first new (treble) bell is inscribed to celebrate the Queen's golden jubilee; the second is The Ringers' Bell, and the third is Mr Fothergill's memorial. The fourth, cast in 1656 by Thomas I Wood of Thirsk, was cracked and has been welded, restored and tuned.

The fifth, cast in 1584, was in good enough condition to remain untouched, and the sixth (tenor, recast in 1868 by Warner's of London), has been restored and tuned.