A MOBBERLEY vicar is hoping that a taster day for possible volunteers to ring the church bells will have mass ap-peal.

Rev Canon Ian Blay of St Wilfrid's Church has put out the call to ensure the bells, which date back to the 18th century, don't fall silent any time soon.

Canon Blay said: "The earliest of these bells dates back to the 18th century and there are just six bellringers at the moment, which means if one of them is ill or unable to attend, one or other of the bells is not rung and you don't get the full peal."

Volunteers bell ringers, from the age of 12 upwards, are being invited to try out the bells on Saturday, January 20, from 12pm to 2pm, when the bell tower will be open.

If the new ringers are recruited they will be trained to play the bells for services including weddings, funerals and other church services.

Canon Blay added: "I often have people coming up to me to say that they would like to have a go at playing the bells and for some who come along on the day it could turn into a possible hobby.

"I know that bellringing is in decline nationally and quite a few bell towers in Cheshire have closed in recent times.

"The aim is to allow people to have an informal go at bellringing and see if it ap-peals to them!"