The sound of church bells has returned to the Hampshire village of Ropley for the first time since a fire gutted St Peter’s Church over a decade ago.

The six historic bells, one weighing 680kg, were salvaged from the ruins of the Grade II listed building after an electrical fault sparked a blaze in 2014, as reported by BBC News.

Having sat in storage ever since, the bells have now been restored and reinstalled thanks to more than £62,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund alongside over £1 million raised by the local community.

Alan Parsonson, treasurer of the Ropley Parochial Church Council, said: “Rehanging the bells is a major step in restoring St Peter’s.

“We hope to re-establish the church as a centre of excellence for bell ringing.”

The bells, originally cast in the early 1700s, were expanded in 1927 through a gift from local philanthropist Marianna Hagan.

With the church rebuilt and reopened in 2022, there are now plans for regular training sessions and an annual event to celebrate the ancient art of bell ringing.