A couple who removed medieval church bells from a historic building in Dumfries claim the artefacts are of such extraordinary significance that they must remain offsite for security reasons.

Mark Huitson and Rachel Bonde, who purchased Holywood Church in 2019, say the bells and plaques they took from the site are uniquely linked to the Knights Templar and represent “one of the most significant and valuable medieval discoveries in Scotland", as reported by Daily Record.

Despite losing an earlier appeal, the couple are now making a fresh case to Holyrood, arguing that restoring the bells to the crumbling church building, before it is sold, would put them at “unacceptable risk".

They say the current listing, which refers only to “two church bells of medieval date", fails to reflect the claimed 12th-century Knights Templar provenance.

The council disputes this, saying there’s been no solid evidence or plan submitted to justify the removal, nor any indication of where the bells are now stored.

Officials insist that the bells must be returned to preserve the integrity of the category B listed building.