A BELL ringer is hoping youngsters will help make a church chime for Sunday services.

Janet Rice, 71, is looking for more people to ring the bells in St Nicholas' Church, in Harwich.

The church has eight bells but only about four are rung at Sunday service due to the lack of ringers.

Janet is hoping youngsters and former bell ringers will be interested in learning to ring the bells for future services.

She said: "On Sunday mornings we are lucky if we get four ringers, but we need more young learners and we are all as we are all getting on a bit and youngsters are not coming along.

"We do take on any age but teenagers are best as they are quick learners and it would be lovely to have 12 so if somebody is sick we are covered."

The ringers practice on Wednesdays between 7.30pm until 9pm and the Sunday services run from 9am until 9.30am.

Janet added: "Years ago when the choir boys voices broke they had to learn to ring the bells.

"But that generation are in their seventies now and there are no choir boys.

"If you come once a week it takes about a year to get good enough for Sunday services.

"Ideally we would like enough ringers for the Armistice Service because it marks 100 years since the end of World War One.

"It would also be lovely if we could have older ringers who want to get back into bell ringing."

For more information call Janet on 01255 886189.